A Memory Returns
by SufferingSamurai2012
Summary: It's been years since Megumi left for Aizu. You'd think that she'd have forgotten the past. However, it gets a little difficult when a man who acts exactly like the person you're trying to forget shows up in your clinic, determined not to leave.
1. The Stranger

Hey guys! Here's a new story for you all to read! I hope you like it. Let me know so I know whether to keep going or not.

I decided to spare everyone their emotions since my last one was a bit of a gut-twister. This one shouldn't turn into anything too emotional (except for possibly the last chapter)

I don't own Rurouni Kenshin :(

Megumi went and locked the door at the end of the day. With a sigh, she pulled off her bandana that she wore during surgery and slowly trudged to her room.

She just finished fixing a man's broken leg. He had been working on a boat when something fell on him and snapped his leg in three places. She didn't know how it happened and she didn't particularly care.

At this moment, all she wanted was sleep.

Megumi had now been in Aizu for five years after leaving the Kamiya Dojo. It had taken most of the first year to set up her clinic and convince people to come to a lady-doctor. Now everything was running smoothly and she had a consistent number of patients walking in the door, even if there were some who were still prejudice over her gender. She'd met several of those radicals. There had been quite a few who'd broken her windows, a handful tried to rob her, and recently someone tried to light her clinic on fire. However, these were things Megumi was now used to. She was perfectly capable of brushing off the nonsense of those idiot men.

Over the past few weeks though, a new sort of idiot man had started to show up. These men came with flowers, a pretty face, and words promising her everything from happiness to the stars in the sky. It was a shock to these egotistical men that she didn't fall, swooning, straight into their arms. It was even more of a shock when they discovered she'd put a woman sick with a skin-eating disease before them every day, every time.

Megumi had come to accept that she'd probably never get married. Men were too easily intimidated by an intelligent, beautiful woman. She was sad about it—she had wanted children—but not so much that she would go out of her way to find a husband for. She felt complete enough with just her clinic.

A brown, spiky-headed rooster pushed its way to the front of her brain. She shoved back at it and it receded to the recesses of her mind. There was no reason for her to visit memory lane. The past was the past and it was better left there.

Megumi had just reached the door to her personal quarters when she heard someone knock on the front door. She turned and gave it a dirty look.

Didn't people know doctors needed sleep too?

She slowly plodded back to the front of the building and opened the door just enough to peek outside. A large man was standing in front of her.

He was about seven or eight inches taller than her and was wearing a dark green cloak tied completely over his body, obscuring the clothes underneath. He had long brown hair that hung in front of his eyes but didn't touch them due to a red bandana wrapped around his forehead. He looked like he hadn't shaved in days and had the aura of a man who traveled a lot. He had very broad shoulders and a prominent jaw line. He also had some of the deepest brown eyes Megumi had ever seen. His lips were chapped and his skin had a pinkish hue. It looked like he was recovering from a sunburn.

"Can I help you with something?" she asked, nervous of the man's appearance.

The man stared at her. His eyes were wide and he seemed to be tracing her face with his gaze. He looked completely absorbed and didn't appear too willing to respond.

"Sir," she repeated. "Can I help you with something?" If this was another one of those wanna-be lovers, she planned on having his head bashed into the wall.

He blinked twice rapidly. "Is this the clinic owned by the lady-doctor?"

"Yes it is," _Why else would a woman answer the door you stupid man?_ she thought. She wasn't too pleased for having her sleep delayed. "However, I'm closed right now and am not taking anything except the most serious of cases. Come back tomorrow please." She began to shut the door but was stopped when he stuck his foot out to catch the door.

She glared at this man. "Sir, I suggest you let me close this door."

He ignored her. "It'll only take a few seconds. I just need some help with my hands. " He held them both up. They were a mess. The bandages had dirt and grass stuck in them. They had gotten so worn that it was a miracle they were still on his hand. His fingernails were dirty and it seemed that his fingers had popped out of their sockets, but no one put them back correctly. They must be causing him a great deal of pain. That was what decided it for her. She couldn't stand to see someone in physical pain.

With a sigh she beckoned him inside. She led him into a room and pointed to where he was to sit. "I'll be right back," she said.

She walked out of the room and into the supply closet. She grabbed a couple rolls of bandages and a bottle of alcohol. Looking around on the shelf, she noticed she only had one more bottle left. Her eyebrows furrowed as she thought of her meager money supply. She had inherited Dr. Genzai's generosity and never made a person pay more than their means allowed. A lot of the time, people paid with chickens or other farm animals.

She slowly walked back to the room thinking about what to do. Rubbing alcohol was very important in medicine. Without it, she couldn't clean wounds effectively and would run the risk of giving the patient an infection. She didn't want to have to set a price for her patients. That wasn't fair when many of them were farmers or worked a simple booth in the marketplace.

She entered the room to find that the man had taken off his cloak. He was wearing a dark brown gi that was cut low revealing his muscular chest. His arms were muscled as well leaving no doubt in her mind that this man was a fighter. He'd rolled his sleeves up past his elbows revealing toned forearms.

"Is something the matter, Lady Doctor?" he asked, smirking slightly.

She realized she had stopped in the doorway to stare at him. She flipped her hair over her shoulder dismissively. "No. I thought I'd forgotten something in the supply closet but I have everything." She gracefully walked across the room and sat in front of him. She could feel him smirking at her but she refused to look at him.

She reached out and gently picked up his left hand. Scrunching up her nose, she peeled away the offensive bandages and threw them in the trash next to her legs. She held it up in front of her face and scrutinized it. She ran her hands over his knuckles and joints. Proving her previous assessment correct, she discovered he had three fingers out of their sockets and four completely broken fingers.

She looked up at him in shock. "How on earth can did you even manage to knock on the door? You should be in extreme pain right now."

He shrugged, almost looking embarrassed. "S'not that bad," he grumbled.

"Of course it's bad! Are you an idiot or something?" she demanded.

"I'm not an idi—SHIT!" he yelled. While he was distracted Megumi had popped all three fingers back into place simultaneously.

He wrenched his hand away from her and glared at her. "What the hell was that for?"

"Your hand needed to be relaxed if I was going to fix it," she said calmly. "People tend to tense up when they know pain is coming."

"Well I ain't like most people," he growled at her. He turned and looked at his hand. "Damn fox, that really hurt," he mumbled.

Megumi was busy cutting bandages when he said it. She dropped them. "What did you call me?" she glared at him.

His eyes widened. "I—,"

"Don't ever call me that again," she whispered violently.

The barriers of Megumi's mind crumpled. Memories of nights spent with the rooster spilled into her head. Staying up late every night because she knew he would come in sooner or later with a busted hand. Once he'd get there, telling him to stop getting in fights and being ignored by him every time. Teasing each other constantly and occasionally teaming up against Kaoru. The time he saved her from herself.

The moments when he became serious; when it seemed like he was heartbeats away from telling her how he felt.

"My name is Takani and that is the only name which you may call me," she said angrily.

She found that she'd risen to her feet and was glaring down at him. He stared back calmly. "I apologize," he said quietly. "I won't call you that again, Takani-sensai."

Her anger left her in a whoosh. She felt embarrassed at her yelling at a complete stranger and sat down quickly. To keep herself from looking at him, she poured alcohol on his hand to get rid of the dirt on all the cuts. Next she bound his fingers on his left hand and took up his right hand. This hand only two fingers out of the socket but had all five fingers either broken or sprained. It was obvious which hand he favored.

She looked up at him. "You have two fingers out of their sockets."

He cringed. "Thanks for the heads-up," he rolled his shoulders. "Just do it."

She felt his hand relax in hers and in that instant popped them back in place. He let his breath in a hiss.

"Sorry," she said, actually feeling sorry for his pain.

"No problem," he said gruffly. "I've endured worse."

"What caused these wounds?" she asked as she cleaned his hand.

He shrugged again. "I got in a couple of fights," he grinned like a teenager. "I won every one."

His response was so much like Sanosuke she almost thought it was him. _Don't be foolish_ she thought angrily. _He's been out of Japan for five years. He's probably in America or something. Kami forbid he stay where he was born._

It wasn't so much that he was gone that infuriated Megumi. It's that he didn't say good-bye. It's that he didn't even say when he was coming back.

_You're a fool _she said to herself.

"Yo, Takani-sensai?" the man asked, leaning forward in concern.

She looked up quickly. "You shouldn't get in fights," she said, repeating what she told Sano years ago. "You'll lose the use of your hand."

A grin slowly spread across the stranger's face. "Don't worry about it, Takani-sensai. With the great job you did I should be up and fighting in a matter of days, right?" he asked, wiggling his re-bandaged fingers in the air.

She raised an eyebrow. "Don't be a fool," she said, cleaning up her supplies. "You should try to use your hands as little as possible for about two weeks." She gave him a pointed look, "That includes fighting."

He placed his head in his hand and pouted. "You're no fun."

Megumi giggled. The man grinned.

_What am I doing?_ She immediately stopped her laughter.

She was giggling. _Giggling_. What on earth was she doing? How long had it been since she giggled with a man?

Megumi turned her gaze toward the traveler. He had stopped grinning too and was looking at her with his eyebrows together.

What is it with this man? Why was it he was so familiar feeling she could _giggle_ like a teenager around him. Megumi didn't like this feeling in the slightest.

"You should probably go now," she said, rudely.

His eyes widened in surprise. "Did I do something wrong?"

She struggled to think of an excuse for her sudden rudeness. "Doctors have to sleep just like everybody else."

"Oh, I see," he rose from his seat, grabbed his cloak, and walked past her to the hallway.

As he walked past her his scent washed over her. He smelled like the woods. He smelled like sun and sweat and masculine power. She turned around and watched him turn the corner, out of her line of sight. If it were possible, he smelled like freedom.

She followed him to the door. He was half-way out the door when he turned around and said, "I have nothing to pay you."

She looked him up and down, pointedly looking at his very dirty clothes. "I figured," she said.

"I," he searched for an answer, "I could work for you."

Megumi was about to flat out refuse him until she thought of the benefits of having a man around. It would be helpful to have someone who was kind of like a body-guard. It was annoying when someone tried to rob her and ended up succeeding simply because she couldn't fight him. It would also be nice to have someone chop her wood for her. Winter was fast approaching and she didn't like having to spend her already low sums on someone who could chop wood.

She focused back in on the man and saw what a hopeful expression he had on. He obviously really wanted this job.

"What is your name?" she asked.

His face pinched up. "My name?" he asked quietly.

"Yes," she said impatiently.

"It's—my name is," he paused and looked at her. Confusion, fear, and regret flew across his face. He seemed to be having an internal battle.

Suddenly, words from Kaoru crept through her mind. _Everyone has one or two things about their past they don't want to talk about_

Megumi waved her hand dismissively, "Never mind," she said calmly. "I'll just think of something else to call you by your first day of work."

His eyes brightened and he grinned. He bowed to her and said, "Thank you very much, Takani-sensai," he said humbly.

He raised himself as she said, "Yeah, yeah, just make sure you're here tomorrow bright and early. It'll be a busy day." With that she shooed him off her porch.

He was halfway to the road when he turned back. He looked her in the eye, winked, and raised his hand in farewell.

Megumi's heart stuttered as she watched the man go down the street. When he was gone from her view she entered her home and shut the door behind her. Leaning against it, she put her hand up to her cheek.

She walked to her room. _I really hope this is a good idea_ she thought as she climbed into her futon. Within moments, she was gone from the world.


	2. The Patient

I'm so sorry for taking so long to update! I kind of hit a wall with the writing. I promised myself I wouldn't make a boring chapter and I really tried. However I've discovered that, if you're writing an actual story, there has to be a boring transition chapter. It's like a law of the universe. So I apologize for the unappealing-ness of this chapter. Please bear with me, the next chapter will be better! :)

Still don't own Kenshin :( (Or Megumi, or Sano...) However I do own Miyaji Hanako!

Megumi woke up an hour before sunrise like she usually did. She sat up, stretched, and rubbed the sleep out of her eyes. She rose from her futon and headed to the supply closet. She did inventory—noticing again the low supply of alcohol—and left, heading for the kitchen to make her morning tea.

As she sipped she recalled the events of the last day and decided the first order of business was deciding what to call this man. She thought it would take a matter of seconds, but instead her mind was pulling a complete blank.

She finished her tea and went into her office to check over the papers. Payments, debts, and bills she needed to worry about were piled up around her ears but she couldn't focus. Giving up, she left—promising herself to do it later—and set about tidying the clinic. She went room to room, picking up extra supplies she'd left the night before, emptying the trash cans and anything else she saw fit to do.

As she was making the futon in the last room she heard a faint knock on the door. Knowing instinctively who it was, she slowly approached the door. She hadn't thought of a name for this man. It would be extremely irritating to continue calling him 'sir'. She thought about it as she approached the door. It wasn't like it was a hard decision. It didn't have to mean anything, or be symbolic in any way.

Why on earth was it so difficult then?

_Too late now_ she thought as she opened the door.

He was standing there with an idiotic grin on his face. He had switched his brown gi out for a dark blue one and had shaved. His face was smooth and he smelled clean.

"Hello, Takani-sensai," he said happily.

"Hello," she said, studying him. "You seem to be in a good mood this morning."

He shrugged, grin still in place. "How can one not be happy on their first day of work? Especially when working for such an important and beautiful lady?" he said, his grin transforming into a smirk.

She rolled her eyes. "Flattery will get you nowhere," her mind scrambled for a moment, "Tamotsu-san."

He cocked his head to the side, crossed an arm, and placed the other under his chin as if he was thinking. "Tamotsu, huh? I guess I can go with that."

"Good, because I was going to call you it anyway," she turned on her heel and marched inside. She heard him following behind her and led him to the kitchen. She lowered herself to her knees in front of the table and signaled him to do the same. Once settled, she placed her hands elegantly in her lap.

"I think it would be prudent to go over some of your responsibilities before the day starts," she said, looking into his eyes. "That way you can't get all whiney when I make you do something you don't want to do."

He laughed. Megumi couldn't help but smile a little bit. When this man laughed, he _laughed_. He threw his head back and practically fell over with all his gusto. His laugh filled the room. It was low sounding and very obnoxious. However, instead of being annoying, it made her want to join in. He placed his hand on his side as if it were in pain and gasped for several seconds.

"You're very blunt, Takani-sensai," he said, wiping away a tear. "It's refreshing," his voice trailed off.

"I won't every lie to you," said Megumi, smirk in place and fox-ears coming out, "Especially if it's about your own shortcomings."

That sent Tamotsu into another bout of laughter.

When he'd quieted down Megumi said, "Here is what you're expected to do: do inventory, take out the trash, make the futons, check in on patients who stayed the night and write down their status, make a list of incoming patients and send them in when I'm ready for them. I also expect you to attempt to keep the place tidy throughout the day. I would also appreciate it if you could keep the lawn looking nice—pull out weeds et cetera—along with chopping wood. Winter is coming soon and I don't have the strength to do it myself, nor the money to hire someone," she paused before continuing. "I also need someone as a bodyguard. People attempt to rob me often and frankly, it's annoying. I take about two hours in the middle of every other day off and go to the market to resupply. You'll accompany me," she looked up at the ceiling and wondered if she'd forgotten anything.

"You lay it on thick, don't ya?" he asked, scratching his chin. "Do I not even get to take it easy my first day?"

"Not at all," Megumi said. She stood up and looked down at him. "You're the assistant of a doctor. There is no such thing as 'taking it easy' anymore."

He stood up too but now he was looking down on her. "Whatever you say, Takani-sensai," he said, grinning.

"Good," she said, leaving the kitchen and beckoning him to follow her.

She began giving Tamotsu a tour of the house. She showed him the rooms where patients spent the night, the surgery room, her office, the supply closet, and the room where she simply diagnosed her patients. Lastly, she came to her personal section of the house.

There was a door that she always kept shut and locked. It led to a hallway that connected her room and her bathroom.

She approached the door and placed her hand on it, looking back at Tamotsu. "This is my personal quarters. No patient is allowed here. You are not allowed here. This door will remain locked at all times and you'll immediately be fired if I catch you trespassing." She then gave him a brief run-through of his schedule for the day, explaining where everything was and what time to do his allotted tasks.

Finally, an hour after the sun rose, she was done and the first patient walked in.

As she strode over to the patient she made one last comment over her shoulder. "Let's see if you paid any attention today."

She moved toward the patient and placed her polite, professional smile on her face. "Hello, I'm Doctor Takani. If you'll come this way, please," she led her into a room and shut the door as the woman sat. "How may I help you?"

The patient was an older woman and obviously a farmwife. Her hair was a little messy and her kimono was a simple blue one. Her hands were calloused from the field work. She had a very stern look on her face and she had a faint earthy smell.

"You're the doctor?" she demanded, her voice raspy.

"Yes, I am," Megumi said politely.

She raised an aged eyebrow and looked her up and down. "You seem awfully young to be a doctor."

Megumi strained to keep her smile on her face. "I've been training for years to be a doctor, ma'am. I'm perfectly qualified. So what seems to be ailing you?"

Momentarily deterred from the topic of Megumi's age, the woman said, "It's not me actually. It's my husband."

Megumi frowned. "Is he here?"

"No," she stated.

There was an awkward pause while Megumi waited for an explanation. When it became obvious one wasn't coming, Megumi said, "It'll be difficult for me to diagnose him if he isn't here."

"Well he _is _a farmer," she said like it was obvious. "He has a farm to farm. I just came to tell you that he has been having fevers the past few nights and he's lost his appetite. He's also had this really dry sounding cough. Then last night, he was complaining about his joints."

Megumi was about to answer when the woman began to speak again. "Now I know you'll probably just say it's his age but you don't know my husband. He's very hardy. I can count on one hand how many times he's been sick in our marriage but when he does get sick, it's bad. I want to stop this sickness before it gets to that point."

Megumi thought about it for a moment. It seemed like it was just a simple allergy. Something in the air could cause the fevers and the coughs and, whether the woman liked it or not, the joint issues could be simply because he was getting up there in age. However, something twisted in her stomach. There was something other than that.

She excused herself from the room and walked quickly to the supply closet. As she was walking past the waiting room she glanced in. There were three patients there already. It looked like Tamotsu was talking with a little girl who came with her mother. She stopped walking and watched.

Tamotsu was squatted so he was eye-level with the child. He was smiling and said something that made the little girl give a shy smile back. The little girl said something to him and Tamotsu gave his full-body laugh. The mother laughed with him.

Megumi continued down to the supply closet with a pang in her heart. She ignored it. Working hours had begun and she didn't have time for emotions.

_It's a good thing he's good with children._

She got what she needed from the supply closet and headed back to the room, not looking into the waiting room. When she came back into the room she held up the bottle to show the woman.

"This is medicine that will sooth your husband's throat. Have him take it in the morning, before he works, and at night, before he goes to bed," she said, handing it to her.

Her hard, wrinkled hands clasped the bottle. "This will make him feel better?" she questioned, unbelieving.

"That will help his symptoms. If you could bring him in so I could ask him a few questions and check on a few things it would be very helpful," she said.

"Very well. So how much do I owe you for the medicine," asked the woman gruffly.

"You may pay me whatever you can afford," said Megumi humbly.

The woman looked up and pondered that for a moment. "I'll give you a chicken," she seemed to say herself. With that, she marched out of the room.

Megumi's eyes widened and she scrambled to find a pencil and a piece of paper. She ran out of the room to catch the surprisingly fast woman.

"Ma'am, wait! I need your name!" called Megumi, just as she was about to leave the clinic.

She turned and said, "Miyaji Hanako." She snapped her head back forward and proceeded out of the clinic.

Megumi quickly wrote down the name. She sighed at how stubborn a woman Miyaji-san was and turned around to head back to the waiting room. As she walked, she pondered the possible reasons for the discomforts of Miyaji-san's husband.

"If you look any more lost in thought, Takani-sensai, you might run into a wall."

Megumi whipped around and saw Tamotsu behind her. He was grinning idiotically and had his head tilted to the side. "Very funny. I was just thinking about my last patient."

"Oh? Do you know what's wrong with her?"

"It's not her, it's her husband. It sounds like it's just a simple allergic reaction," she trailed off and looked down, frowning. If it was an allergic reaction then why was she getting this weird feeling?

"Then why do you seem confused?" he questioned.

She looked up and saw him frowning at her. "I've just got a weird feeling."

He leaned forward slightly. "If I've learned anything in my travels it's that you should always trust your gut." His brown eyes opened wide and it seemed like Megumi could read his very soul. Their warm color seemed to envelop her and she lost herself in their depth.

Her heart fluttered and her stomach tightened. _Instincts_. Her instincts were telling her this man was someone she would have to be careful around. He could heal just as easily as he could wound her heart.

Megumi blinked twice and hoped her cheeks weren't red.

_This is ridiculous. I've known the man all of two days. Don't be an idiot, Megumi._ She immediately calmed the butterflies that had been soaring in her stomach. She noticed Tamotsu had taken a deep breath and released it slowly.

"Never mind," she said, flipping her hair to hide her embarrassment. "I'll figure it out later. Who's next on the list?"

Tamotsu lifted up the piece of paper in his hand and read off a name.

"Send him in," she said over her shoulder as she walked toward the room she'd just occupied. If she threw herself into her work, she wouldn't have to think about the man who was a stranger. She wouldn't have to look into the eyes of a man who revealed so much in a glance.

She wouldn't have to be reminded of another pair of brown eyes that never seemed to be too far in the back of her mind.

A/N: Hope you at least semi-enjoyed it. Please stick around for chapter 3!


	3. The Thief

Hey guys, thanks for all the reviews! I appreciate all the support! I'm sorry about not answering anyone's questions about what's going on but I like to keep everything a mystery ;) I promise, everything will be revealed soon (well, actually I don't know about that. I'm still not sure how long I want this story to be...). So keep reading!

Still don't own Rurouni Kenshin :(

* * *

The day passed slowly as the patients continued to come in. Luckily for Megumi, it seemed that most of them had a simple cold that was sweeping through the city. It was easily fixed.

Finally, it was time for her afternoon break. Although Megumi loved her job, she also loved being able to take a break from the constant stream of sickly people. She shut the door and locked it with a sigh. She turned and headed into her office to handle the paperwork she hadn't done that morning.

She entered her office only to find Tamotsu already there looking at her papers.

"What do you think you're doing?" Megumi nearly shrieked, shocked at his behavior.

Tamotsu looked up calmly. "Why don't you charge money for your services?"

She marched toward him, a scowl on her face. "Don't change the subject! What do you think you're doing looking at my papers?"

She got within two feet of him and snatched the papers out of his hands. She glared at him. "What makes you think it's alright to look at other people's bills? Were you raised by bears?" she yelled.

He looked down at her gave a sad smile. "Actually I was an orphan."

Her anger dissolved. She looked down at the ground, hands clasped in front of her. Guilt and embarrassment rose within her. "I'm sorry. That was rude of me."

Tamotsu chuckled and she looked up. The light was back in his eyes as he gave her a very gentle and playful shove. "Don't worry about it, Takani-sensai. That was a long, long time ago."

She looked down again. "It doesn't make it alright."

All of a sudden a strong hand gently gripped her chin and raised her head. "It's no big deal, Takani-sensai," he said, a kind smile gracing his features. "Don't get all worried."

Heat rose in Megumi's body and she almost started shaking. She could feel the power of this man just in his gentle but strong hands. She was forced to take into account again that this man obviously was once a fighter. Not only that but she was forced to acknowledge her physical awareness of him. He was a beautifully sculpted man and there was no way it was possible for her to ignore him. She felt a combination of relief and annoyance when he took his hand away.

"But anyway, why don't you charge money for your services? It seems like all these money problems could be settled simply by having a set charge for the patients."

Megumi looked away from him and moved to straighten all her papers. She organized them into different piles as she said, "I used to work for a man named Doctor Genzai. He was a kind, compassionate, and generous man," she smiled as she remembered him. "He didn't have a fee either. He is one of the people who have had the most influence on my professional and personal life."

She hadn't thought of Doctor Genzai in awhile. She thought about his loving smile he had for everyone whether they be family, coworker, or patient. Everyone got along with him and no one left his clinic unhappy with him. She considered him an adopted grandfather and she an adopted granddaughter to him. He had constantly called her his Megumi-chan. She couldn't help but be happy at her memories of time spent with the aged doctor.

"You miss him?" Tamotsu asked, interrupting her thoughts.

She looked at him. "Yes I do. He was a very dear man to me." She looked down at her desk and placed her papers in their specified piles. "But it doesn't matter right now. I need to finish this paperwork. After that we'll head to the market."

Tamotsu looked at her with an odd expression. "Whatever you say, Takani-sensai." He turned and headed toward the door.

"Oh, and Tamotsu," called Megumi. He turned and looked at her, eyebrows raised in question. "I've made a new rule: you are not to mess with my paperwork."

Tamotsu grinned and gave a ridiculous bow. "Yes, Takani-sensai. Forgive my obtuseness. It seems that I have lingered in the vast wilderness of the world for far too long. I've forgotten how to conduct myself in front of a stunning and illustrious woman such as yourself." He raised his head, still bowing, and winked at her.

Megumi longed to laugh but instead rolled her eyes and flicked a dismissive hand at him. She turned and lowered herself to her knees to begin doing her paperwork. She heard him chuckle as he left the room.

She did her best to be annoyed with him. She really did. Instead, she couldn't help but think about how he'd called her stunning.

* * *

Half an hour later, Megumi and Tamotsu were on their way to the market. Megumi rolled through a mental checklist as she adjusted her purse on her shoulder. With all the things she needed she thought she'd be done well within the time allotted to her by her clinic schedule.

She looked up at the sky and gave a slight smile. It was a beautiful, fall day. It wasn't too hot or too cold and there was a nice crisp breeze that made one want to get out and do something. It was the kind of weather that made people want to stay outside for as long as possible.

Megumi slowed her pace and meandered her way through the market. Tamotsu matched her speed.

They'd been silent for the entire walk and Megumi had been too lost in her thoughts to notice. Now that she had, it seemed slightly awkward. She tried to think of something to fill the silence.

"It has occurred to me that I don't know much about you, Tamotsu-san," she said, professional expression and voice firmly in place.

He linked his hands and placed them behind his head. He also lengthened his stride a bit to compensate for the lost momentum of his swinging arms. "There ain't too much to know, Takani-sensai," he said, voice neutral.

"Just because there isn't much," she said, automatically correcting his grammar "doesn't mean there's nothing."

He pursed his lips together, thinking about it. "I guess you're right."

She raised an eyebrow and flipped her hair. _Of course I am._

She moved to avoid an elderly couple coming their way when he said, "Well, I've lived in Japan most of my life. Then the last few years I've travelled a bit."

She nearly rolled her eyes at his vagueness. "You lived in Japan and you've travelled? I could have told you that within the first ten seconds of knowing you."

He did his huge laugh. "You've got me pinned, Takani-sensai." He turned his smiling face toward her. "What else do you 'know' about me?"

Megumi sensed a change in the air. Their conversation had become more serious and she could tell this wasn't just a simple question. Something told her that her answer would define their relationship for a very long time.

As the seriousness of the moment dawned on her, she looked into his face. His mouth was in the form of a smile, but the corners were too still, too frozen. It was a forced expression. His face was entirely unmoving. The only part that remained open and easy to read was his eyes. They were warm today, a melted-chocolate kind of color.

Behind that surface of softness, however, she saw a wall.

This wall was concealed his secrets. She could tell he was a private person and that those things weren't going to be touched by anyone. She could tell already that this conversation was coming dangerously close to that thought-barrier.

As she attempted to organize her thoughts, she felt a shove from behind and her purse was ripped off her shoulder. She gasped as she fell into Tamotsu's surprised grip. Her face landed smack in the middle of Tamotsu's chest just as his hands encircled her upper arms, stopping her from hitting him harder. She could hear footsteps running away and anger began to surge through her.

She'd been robbed. Again.

Before her temper had even been able to rise to its peak, Tamotsu had steadied her and sprinted after the man.

The anger left Megumi as her mouth fell open at the man who was now working for her.

He was a large man and she had simply assumed that because the thief wasn't within arm's reach, Tamotsu wouldn't catch him. She had never been more wrong.

Tamotsu was fast. Very fast. His stride covered about five or six of her normal steps and he ran with the grace of a seasoned athlete. His arms pumped at a steady rhythm as his feet hit the ground with hardly a thud. The breeze combined with his speed caused his hair to whip out of his face and trail behind him. He dodged the people in the crowd like a man half his size and in only a few moments he caught the thief.

She watched as he caught the back of the man's collar and pulled it down so that his feet flew out from under him. He hit the ground and she could tell from here that he got the wind knocked out of him. Tamotsu snatched the purse back from him and punched him one time in the face. The man was obviously dazed as Tamotsu picked him up and made his way back to Megumi.

The crowd, who had seen the whole thing, backed up as he moved past and did their best not to make eye-contact with him.

He strutted the last few feet to Megumi and held up the thief to her. She took a careful look at him.

He was young, probably twenty-one or twenty-two. He had short, black hair and was a couple inches shorter than her. From the already swollen skin around his eye, she deduced he would have one beauty of a black eye in the morning. She didn't recognize him so the residue of her anger faded from her completely. He was simply a thief.

She took a step forward and tapped him on the shoulder. His half-lidded eyes opened fractionally.

"I hope you learned your lesson," she said, coldly. "Don't rob me again or there will be serious consequences. It won't be easy for you idiots to rob me anymore," she started to turn and said, "You're going to get a black eye from that hit. Put some ice on it and it should be fine."

With that she turned completed her turn and walked toward the other side of the market. Tamotsu caught up to her a second later, thief not in tow. She looked up at him and was surprised at his expression.

His face was lit up. He seemed to be glowing and a grin seemed to be permanently set on his face. His eyes were on fire and he radiated barely controlled energy.

The resemblance between him and Sanosuke took her breath away.

He didn't seem to be affected by his semblance to the man of her past and took a deep breath easily. He ran his hand through his hair. "Well that was fun," he said gleefully.

She couldn't help but roll her eyes at their similar responses to a fight.

"It's not fun to fight, Tamotsu-san," she said sternly.

He did his full-body laugh. "You remind me of a monk I met in China. He used to say almost the exact same thing."

They continued down the main road of the market making easy conversation, their almost-serious exchange lay in the recesses of their mind. No matter how Megumi wanted to, though, she couldn't get the question or his facial expression out of his mind.

How could she forget about it when she knew the question being asked was not 'what else do you know about me.'

The _real_ question was 'can you _handle_ knowing me.'

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A/N: I hope you enjoyed it! I love reviews so hit that little button at the bottom! (I even accept flames so have at it!)


	4. The Suitor

I'm sorry for this being so late! I feel like it takes me forever to get these things written. However, in my defense, I finished this thing like 2 days ago...but my computer decided that would be the best time to have the internet stop working :PP It's kind-of fixed now (it's much slower) but there's enough connection for me to upload this :D

I hope you guys enjoy! Review Review Review!

Disclaimer: *sigh* you know how it goes...

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Days turned into weeks and soon Megumi couldn't imagine Tomatsu not working there. He'd been a huge help for the past few weeks. He'd taken care of all the physical labor she demanded of him, he kept the clinic tidy, and he'd done a superb job in keeping away pesky thieves.

The only thing he seemed determined not to do was scare away the hopeless saps who were in love with her. He seemed to think it was funny when a foolish man walked in with attempts to woo Megumi and left with shattered hopes and a greatly diminished ego.

"Megumi-anata," her patient said. "I can give you everything you need and more. I'll give you a husband, a home, and children. What more can a woman like you ask for?" he asked in a smooth, confident voice.

Megumi continued wrapping the bandage over around the man's sprained ankle. She had inwardly cringed at his casually used honorific. She'd grown used to comments like this though and took no more notice of it then she would a child's crush. It was awkward and a little embarrassing and was something that should be ignored.

"I'm flattered that you think so highly of me, Hamada-san," she said calmly and professionally. "What you offer me is something that many women dream about." His handsome face lit up with a bright, victorious smile. "However," she said, his smile dimming, "I'm not one of those women."

She stood up from her place on the floor and looked down at him where he was sitting. "I have a hospital to run, Hamada-san. My husband is my clinic and my children are my patients. I'm dedicated to them whole-heartedly. You can offer me whatever you wish and I will turn you down."

Her mind took her back to when a knife was ripped from her hands. When a man got in her face and told her killing herself was stupid. When he told her she had a job to do.

"I have to help these people," she said quietly.

"Why?"

She looked up at him and saw a confused and stunned look on his face. He had tilted his head a little and his brows were furrowed together.

"I _have _to save people," she said, becoming more and more passionate and less and less professional with every word. "Otherwise, my life would be worth nothing." She blinked at her sudden fervor and said quickly, "I'm done with you now. If you stay off it as much as possible then you should feel better in about a week." She signaled toward the door and the man leaned over and grabbed his crutch. After he stood up, he made his way over the Megumi and placed a large hand on her cheek. He had the hand of a rich man; soft and smooth. They were the hands of a man who'd never had a day of labor in his life.

"One day, my love, you'll realize what a great man you could have had," he said, conceit dripping from every word. He talked like he felt sorry for her.

"I think the Lady Doctor said she was done with you," said a voice toward the door.

Megumi looked over toward the entrance of the room and saw Tomatsu. He was standing with one arm braced against the doorframe and was looking at Hamada. He'd obviously just gotten out of the bath house for his hair was plastered to his forehead and there was a slight damp spot on his gi. His face was blank, his tone firm, and his eyes were intimidating.

"Don't meddle with things that are outside of you understanding, boy," said the thirty-two year old Hamada.

Other than the slight raising of an eyebrow, Tamotsu didn't move. Megumi could practically taste the tension in the air and stepped away from Hamada so she stood in between the two. She was looking back and forth between the two when Tamotsu said, "Even the most unintelligible person in Japan knows that you shouldn't touch a lady without her consent. Something tells me she didn't like you touching her, Hamada-_san_," he said with a hint of sarcasm, making it that much more disrespectful.

Hamada took an unbalanced step forward on his crutch. Her inner doctor coming out, Megumi stepped back toward him to show him how to effectively use his crutch. After showing him Megumi looked up at Tomatsu. "Tomatsu-san, go outside and get the mail," she said harshly, annoyed he was being so rude.

He ignored her and continued to glare at Hamada. He seemed to take satisfaction in him not being able to walk.

"Tamotsu," she said, forgoing the honorific to get his attention.

He looked at her sharply and tilted his head to the side.

Megumi had found over the last few weeks that her knees were prone to weakness whenever he tilted his head like that.

Her knees quivered slightly while she said slowly, "Go get the mail."

His head straightened out and he gave her a stiff bow. "Yes, Takani-sensai," he said quietly. He pivoted around and walked silently out the door.

She released the breath she'd been holding and looked back over at Hamada, disgust building within her. He looked at her and said, "Why on earth would you have a low-life like that working in your clinic?" he leaned forward and whispered, "He may try to take advantage of you, Megumi. He's a ruffian and doesn't know how to control his basic instincts."

The anger inside her rose to volcanic levels in a heartbeat. She resisted the urge to slap him in the face and sprain his other ankle in the most painful way possible.

"Please leave my clinic," she said, her fury hidden under a thin layer of self-control.

He gave her a said smile and placed a hand on her arm. "If you ever need any assistance in getting this man out of your life, you come and find me." He patted her arm in a fatherly way and limped out of the room.

Fury finally overcoming her, Megumi clenched her fists into her hands and dug her nails into her flesh. Her muscles tensed up to the point of cramping and her face twisted in a scowl.

How dare that man! He didn't even know Tomatsu! How dare he assume that because Tomatsu was a little rough looking he was a man out to steal her virtue. How dare he think so little of her that he'd assume she'd allow herself to be put in that position.

Megumi scrunched her eyes shut and didn't hear when Tomatsu entered the room.

"Megumi?" he asked quietly.

Her eyes snapped open. It was one of the few times he'd called her by her first name. Megumi looked up into his eyes and saw that his were reflecting her anger.

"He didn't touch you again did he?" he asked, hands balling into fists.

Megumi took a deep breath. She forced herself to relax her muscles and pulled her nails out from her skin. She did her best to change her voice to one of aloofness. "Of course not."

He nodded grimly. "Good."

He came forward and gave her three letters. "Here's the mail," he said and he left the room.

Megumi stared at the empty doorway. It was the first time Tomatsu had ever stopped a man from flirting with her. She frowned in confusion and shook her head. In all the days he had worked for her, Megumi still did not understand Tomatsu. He was a man of opposites. He could be funny, goofy, hyper, and flirtatious and the next he'd be quiet, deadly, intimidating, and violent.

He'd never been any of those negatives with her though. He always seemed to direct those toward the thieves who took more liberty than others in getting what he wanted. Flashing back to about a week ago, Megumi remembered when a man struck her simply because she was walking to slow. Her stomach twisted as she remembered how badly Tamotsu had beaten him.

"_Why did you do that?" Megumi cried, running over to check if the man was breathing._

_Tamotsu simply spit on the ground by the man who'd collapsed. His eyes were cold and dark._

She shivered at his remembered expression and returned to the present to check the mail. The first two were bills and she reminded herself that, yet again, she was behind on her paperwork. The last looked like a letter. Puzzled, Megumi slipped her finger in the envelope and tore it open. She slid the letter out and opened it.

_Dear Megumi,_

_Hi! I know this is sudden and everything but Kenshin, Kenji, and I are coming up for a visit! By the time you get this letter we'll probably be half-way (you know how Kenshin doesn't like to waste time on the open road). It's been awhile since you saw Kenji, he's HUGE! I can't wait for you to see him. Get everything ready for our arrival, we are bringing Yahiko so make a lot of food! _

_Can't wait to see you! We miss our Aunt Megumi._

_With lots of love,_

_The Himuras (plus Yahiko)_

Megumi blinked at the welcome surprise. It had been so long since she'd last seen them. Kenji had just been born and was a few months old. Kaoru was glowing as a new mother should and Kenshin was filled with the silent pride of a man who had fathered a baby boy. Megumi smiled at the memory of the new family and slowly walked out of the room, lost in a happy past.

"Takani-sensai?"

Jerked back to the current time, Megumi looked up at Tamotsu in question.

Tamotsu looked at her intensely. "T—the men who come in here to...to pursue you," he paused and shifted on his feet and rubbed the back of his neck, "are you...interested in any of them?"

Megumi, startled, didn't say a word. She blinked a couple times and tried to get her brain to function. He sounded almost embarrassed at asking the question and the only thing running through her mind was how sweet it was that he was.

"It's just that, it didn't occur to me that he might actually be your—," she saw him gulp, "boyfriend," he let out air as he said it.

Megumi froze as she processed that.

"It's just that none of the men who came in here have touched you," he said, rambling. He shrugged and said, "I didn't think about whether you had a...relationship with this one."

Megumi shut down the part of her brain that allowed her to hope that he was jealous. She quieted the voice in her chest that had begun to sing with joy. Up rose the Lady Doctor and she said coolly, "Of course not. I don't have time for anything outside my clinic."

Megumi turned away from Tamotsu to hide her face. It seemed, as of late, her mask wasn't lasting as long as it usually did. She began walking to her office and said without turning around, "I'll be having some old friends over in a few days. I haven't seen them in several years so if you could do me a favor and make sure the place is especially clean I would greatly appreciate it."

She entered her office and shut the door behind her. Walking over to her desk, she plopped down behind it and placed her head in her hands.

She couldn't allow herself to get so attached to this man. Even with all the time spent together she still didn't know his real name. Why on earth was she so attracted to him? Megumi had another flashback, taking place four days earlier.

_It was unusually warm for a fall day. It was odd but instead of questioning it, Megumi decided to send Tamotsu out to chop wood to take advantage of the nice weather._

_He'd been out there for an hour and Megumi hadn't heard him come in for water. Frowning she went and filled up a cup to take out for him._

Idiot_ she thought. _He's going to get dehydrated._ Megumi left through the back of the clinic. As the door clanged shut she saw Tamotsu._

_He had stripped off his gi and was only in his hakama. The axe was raised high above his head and was swung down so forcefully it cut the wood cleanly in two. She watched the muscles in his back flex and shift with his every movement. _

_With every movement, her heart sped up. _

_Sweat gleaned off him and made him shine in the sunlight. His hair was plastered to his thick neck. _

_She wanted to run her hands through it. _

_His back muscles were held up by a strong, narrow waist that was encircled by bandages. _

_She wanted to wrap her arms around that torso._

_Megumi's body temperature rose. She felt like she'd been in the sun for hours. _

_Tamotsu paused for a moment and placed the head of the axe on the ground. Placing one hand on the tip of the handle, he used the other to wipe the sweat from his brow. He froze mid-swipe and slowly turned around to face her._

_Megumi, embarrassed at being caught staring, walked up to him. "If you don't drink water you're going to pass out," she said, finding safety in pretending to be the fretful doctor._

_Tamotsu slowly reached his hand out and grasped the cup, never taking his eyes off Megumi. Megumi tried to pull her hand away but Tamotsu kept hers trapped under his larger one. Terrified at the intimacy of the moment, Megumi looked up at Tamotsu with almost a panicked expression._

_A breeze swept Tamotsu's scent over her. He smelled like sweat, wood, and, like always, masculinity. This, coupled with his bare chest, nearly sent Megumi over the edge._

"_Thank you, Takani-sensai," he said softly, not removing his hand. His eyes were smoldering Megumi and she nearly melted into a puddle at his feet._

"_You're welcome," her voice cracked. She cleared her throat and tried again. It failed when Tamotsu pulled her closer to him. They were now inches apart with the only parts of their bodies touching being their hands._

_Her voice died in her throat as she looked up at Tamotsu. His eyes were dark and hungry. A ball formed in her stomach and clenched at his gaze. Her mouth parted as his breath rate increased. _

_As Tamotsu leaned forward, Megumi completely panicked. She ripped her hand away from him causing him to drop the cup of water and jumped two steps back._

_Frozen, shocked, and out of breath, they both stood there, not moving._

"_I—I'm sorry," stammered Megumi. "I'll go and—and get you some more water." She all but sprinted inside._

Megumi frowned at her recollection. They'd been tiptoeing around each other since then. Before, things had been friendly but it was now bordering on awkward. At times conversations were forced, and it always seemed like they both remembered the water incident at the same time. Tamotsu would stare at her with a strange look on his face and she would do her best to ignore it and start another topic.

Megumi clenched her eyes shut and repeated to herself over and over again:

I don't want a man.

I don't want a man.

I don't want a man.

I don't want a man.

...I don't want to get hurt again.

Megumi instantly rejected that thought. She was a strong, capable woman. She was intelligent, brave, and honorable. There was no such thing as a man who had the capabilities of making someone like her feel hurt. No man would have that power over her again.

There would _never_ be another Kanryuu.

Megumi's mentally shrank away from the memory of that man. He was manipulative, vile, perverse, and evil. He had no problem killing employees who were no longer capable of performing to his expectations. When an enemy became too powerful, he'd kidnap them and torture them. The man did anything to make money. He was sick. He was a demon.

Kanryuu had felt no remorse in dealing with Megumi however he wished. No matter what she did, he got his way. He had owned every part of her. He'd owned her talents. He'd owned her body. He'd owned her very soul.

That time period in her life was the equivalent of a deep abyss. There was no hope, no light.

Megumi dug the heels of her hands into her eyes. There was no such thing as a good man. It wasn't possible. Megumi's eyes began to form tears at remembered pain, both physical and emotional.

From deep in the dark recesses of her psyche, a glow seemed to come forth. As the glow grew, an image came to mind.

It was Sanosuke.

Sanosuke was proud, angry, and violent. He was lazy, couldn't keep a job, and a total mooch. His arrogance was legendary.

But then again—

He was strong, kind, and gentle to the weak. He was loyal, protective, and an amazing friend. He was honest, courageous, and not afraid to stand up for what was right.

When Kanryuu had driven her to suicide, Sanosuke had pulled her back.

Images of the two opposite men filled her mind. She was almost offended by having completely different people share the same space in her head. She forced Kanryuu's image away. It wasn't something she wanted to linger on. She turned her attention to Sanosuke.

She still hadn't forgotten what he looked like: short, spiky, brown hair, and that stupid jacket with 'evil' written on the back. Bandages were across his middle and a goofy, arrogant smile was plastered on his face. His dark brown eyes were filled with laughter

_That is the face of a good man_, a voice in her head said.

She raised her head a little, keeping her mouth covered. _Yes, I suppose it is._

Someone knocked on her office door and opened it halfway. Tamotsu peeked in. "May I come in, Takani-sensai?"

She quickly wiped away one last renegade tear and beckoned him to sit. He entered slowly. He seemed a little unsure of himself as he lowered down into the seat. When he landed, he looked at her with a frown on his face.

"I wanted to apologize if I upset you," he said.

Megumi frowned along with him. "Why would you think I was upset?"

Tamotsu's mouth tipped down and he ran his hand through his hair. "I've spent a lot of time with some English politicians, Takani-sensai," he said, sounding frustrated. "Politicians are some of the slimiest, sneaky, and conceited people you'll ever meet. However, they are masters of reading people. After spending time with them, I started seeing how they saw things." His head tilted to the side fractionally. "It's obvious that you're upset. I know we haven't known each other very long," he faded for a moment then picked up again, "but I think very highly of you, Takani-sensai." He gave a small, shy smile, "I don't want to see you hurting."

Megumi, however, was a little zoned out. She couldn't help but compare this man to Sanosuke. Tamotsu was funny, kind, protective, and strong. He definitely had characteristics of Sanosuke. He was just as strong as he was, just as physically attractive, but unlike the rooster he was more mature. Megumi figured it was just because he was older. Megumi studied the man in front of her. He looked to be maybe twenty-fiveish. Realization flashed through Megumi as she remembered that Sanosuke would have to be twenty-four right now. He was no longer a boy.

Suddenly curious, Megumi asked, "How old are you, Tamotsu?"

Frowning at the change of subject, Tamotsu said, "Twenty-four. Why?"

Megumi's eyebrows pinched together at the coincidence. "You just remind me of a man I knew. He's twenty-four now too."

Tamotsu's eyes widen slightly and give an airy, nervous chuckle. He started kneading his hands together and shifted in his seat.

The change in his character startled her. "Are you okay?"

He looked down at his knees. "Actually, I've been—,"

"HELP! HELP! LADY DOCTOR!" a frantic, female voice cried out.

Megumi and Tamotsu both leaped to their feet in an instant and sprinted out of her office. Running to the entrance of the clinic, they spot an elderly woman followed by two men holding a third in between them.

"Miyaji-san!" Megumi exclaimed.

"Help! Help my husband! He can't breath!" she cried, tears running down her aged face.

The man being held started turning blue.

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I hoped you guys enjoyed it more than I did...I didn't really like it :P But on the plus side, i'm finally beginning to see an ending for this! I'm thinkin maybe 2 or 3 more chapters...

(I accept flames! That means you need to REVIEW!)


	5. The Death

Finally done with this chapter! I'm sorry it took so long :( I kind of wanted to portray more emotion then I did, but if you imagine sad background music I think it'll work :) Hope you guys enjoy it.

Disclaimer: ...yeah, yeah, yeah...

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Instantly, all thoughts of Tomatsu and Sanosuke left her mind. She had a job to do. This required, not Megumi the woman, but Megumi the Lady Doctor. She signaled the men to bring the convulsing man into one of the rooms.

"What happened?" she asked Miyaji-san, moving quickly to wash her hands.

The woman stared at her husband with wide eyes as she responded. "We were in town to buy some vegetables. He started complaining of pain in his chest and soon after that he stopped breathing." Tears ran anew down her wrinkled face and she covered her eyes with a gnarled hand.

Megumi motioned for Tomatsu to escort her out of the room and turned her attention to the patient.

His eyes were wide with panic and were bulging out of his aged face. His mouth was open in an "O", gasping for the air he was being denied. His face was beginning to turn a dark blue, almost purple.

Recognizing she was losing time she turned toward the two men who'd brought him in. "I need you to stabilize him." As they moved to restrain his flailing limbs, Megumi looked into the man's eyes and said firmly, "Sir, I need you to try to calm down. The more you panic the harder this will be."

He didn't seem to hear her, and she honestly didn't expect him to. Not much later, he passed out.

Megumi told the men to turn him on his side so his tongue would be out of the way should he start breathing again. Megumi sprinted out of the room toward the supply closet. She passed Tomatsu and Miyaji but ignored his questioning look and her desperate one.

She opened the door in the supply closet and found what she was looking for.

An oxygen mask.

They were invented a few years before and were highly expensive. Dr. Genzai had scraped together some money and bought one for her when she moved out. She almost didn't accept it but now she was glad she did.

She ran back to the room, mask in tow, and burst back into the room. The men had moved to the corners of the room and were looking nervously at the purple-faced man.

Megumi stepped forward and began to situate the device. She placed the mask over his mouth and squeezed the rubber ball to force the air into his lungs. After a few minutes his face began to revert back to its normal shade of pink. However, there was a more pressing issue on Megumi's mind.

Brain damage.

The human brain can only last for so long without oxygen. If Miyaji-san's husband went past that limit, he'd basically be dead. Megumi could only pray that wasn't the case here, and continue to pump the rubber ball.

Convinced he was alive, Megumi continued to pump the oxygen at a steady pace. There was no way she was going to let this man die. She refused to be the cause of any more death.

Pump...Pump...Pump...Pump

Pump...Pump...Pump...Pump

She refused to get distracted. Nothing screwed up her focus. A bead of sweat dripped in her eye but she continued. A fly buzzed around her head but she didn't remove her hands to slap it away. She didn't even notice when Tamotsu came into the room.

"Megumi?" he said quietly.

Megumi didn't even look at him. She continued pumping steadily. "I'm doing my best to ensure his breathing. Your distracting me isn't helping."

She couldn't see him but could imagine his raised eyebrow. "My apologies. However he was a wife outside who wants to know how her husband is doing. I thought she had a right to know."

Pump...Pump...Pump...

Megumi continued to stare at the man in front of her.

"He'll live," she whispered.

She heard his footsteps as he approached her. He pulled up a stool, sat down, and looked at her. She still didn't look at him.

"Is that your opinion as a doctor?" he asked, matter-of-factly.

Megumi cringed at the question. Sometimes she didn't want to be the doctor. Sometimes she wanted to be allowed to hope against all hopes. Why was it she had to be so cold all the time? She was tired of it.

Pump...Pump...Pump...

Megumi struggled against herself to find her professionalism. "It's a possibility. He also might have brain damage. A person can last for only so long without oxygen."

"So what should I tell her?" Tamotsu asked.

"I don't know!" she yelled, finally looking at him.

His face was calm and collected. She watched him study her for a moment before shame forced her to look back at the task at hand.

Pump...Pump...Pump...

Why was she supposed to know the answer? Why did everyone expect her to know? Just because she was a doctor didn't mean she knew everything.

"Just tell her it's too soon to tell," she said finally.

Out of her peripheral she saw him nod and get up to leave. She only began setting her mind back to her tasks when she heard the click of the door shutting.

Pump...Pump...Pump...

How did this happen? It was only supposed to be allergies. Megumi's stomach twisted in disagreement. She had known there was something weird about this case. She _knew_ it but didn't send a message out to them telling him he needed to come to the clinic.

Pump...Pump...Pump...

What caused this? She forced herself to remember the conversation she'd had with his wife weeks earlier. She'd said he was a farmer. Megumi assumed he worked with animals since she offered to give her a chicken.

Pump...Pump...Pump...

She dug into her mind, thinking of reasons for one to stop breathing. There were tons, ranging from asthma to heart attacks. It could have been any one of them. It could even be from multiple sources. She needed to find connections.

Pump...Pump...Pump...

She looked into the face of the elderly man. His face was full of cavernous wrinkles. His eyes were sunk into his head and his lips were thin, bordering on nonexistent. He had the typical face of a man who was about eighty-five years old.

Pump...Pump...Pump...

How long did farmers work? It seemed like the kind of work that one couldn't and shouldn't do past the age of seventy. If what Miyaji-san said was true, then this must truly be a hardy man.

Pump...Pump...Pump...

What if he smoked? Smoking can cause one to look older than they really are. He could actually be sixty or seventy.

But how does that help?

Pump...Pump...Pump...

It could be Farmer's Lung. Farmers get it when they are in an enclosed area with moldy hay. The particles of moldy hay get into one's lungs and cause them to slowly shut down. Since he works with animals, it would make sense.

However, Farmer's Lung, in order for it to be deadly, must take place over a period of about five years. The symptoms only began recently; not nearly enough time for the disease to run its course.

Pump...Pump...Pump...

Heart attack? It was possible. He was elderly and, if her guessing was correct, a smoker. However, even for a smoker, this man was incredibly healthy. It was hard for Megumi to believe that this man—still obviously showing muscle from the hard labor of a farmer—was the victim of a heart attack.

Pump...Pump...Pump...

What if it's a combination of the three?

* * *

Someone knocked on the door but, being deep in thought, Megumi didn't hear it. The door slid open and Tomatsu stepped inside. Tamotsu's face softened as he looked at Megumi's crouched form. She had been in that same position when he left.

"Megumi?"

Megumi jerked in surprise but kept her rhythm going. "What did I tell you? I said it was too soon to tell," she said rudely.

His gaze held pity. "Megumi, that was four hours ago."

Megumi blinked in surprise and looked out the window. The sun was descending past the horizon. She looked down at her arms and noticed they were shaking. She'd barely noticed the ache in her limbs.

Tomatsu came to her and grasped her forearms gently. Megumi looked up at him and saw sadness in his face. She refused to think of what that meant and continued to pump.

"Megumi, you need to rest," he said gently, his thumbs moving in small, soothing circles on her arm.

"I can't rest," she croaked. She blinked at how thirsty she realized she was.

His grip on her arms tightened and he pulled her up and away from the man. Megumi jerked in shock and scrambled to get back to the man. "What are you doing?" she cried. He crushed her to his chest and refused to allow her to move.

"He's gone," he whispered into her ear.

She pulled her head back and glared at him. "No he's not," she hissed. "He's fine. He'll start breathing soon. You'll see."

He stretched his left arm so it was encircling her whole body and lifted his other to cup her cheek. "Megumi, you've been breathing for him for four hours. The only reason he's still alive is because you keep pumping that thing." Megumi's eyes widened and she shook her head violently.

He couldn't be dead. If he was, then she failed.

Tomatsu's eyes were filled with sadness as he saw Megumi's face crumple. Megumi looked over at the elderly man on the bed and stared at his chest, waiting for the rise and fall of his torso. Nothing happened. She continued to stare. His heart just needed a second. It would jumpstart soon. Megumi tensed as the seconds went by.

She waited as his skin turned red.

Then blue.

Then purple.

The doctor in her knew it. The doctor in her knew that he was dead, that the essential life-blood had ceased flowing. She knew that the man wasn't coming back. With that knowledge came a deep, aching pain in her chest. Once again she'd failed. She caused the death of a human being. Due to her own weakness, the life of this man was extinguished.

Megumi slowly rested her head on Tamotsu's chest. His arms tightened around her as the pain constricted her further. Why was it that no matter how hard she tried, no matter how much she tried to redeem herself, she always failed? Just when she thought things were starting to look up one of her patients had to die.

Suddenly, something stroked her hair. She opened her eyes and saw that Tamotsu was repeatedly sliding his hand across her tresses. As seconds passed, Megumi felt herself calm down. Tamotsu's arms were warm and strong. In his arms she felt safe. She closed her eyes and let herself be held.

"You can't save everyone, Megumi," Tamotsu whispered, continuing his stroking. "It's impossible. Sometimes these things just have to happen. You can't change someone's destiny."

"You never struck me as the kind of person who believes in destiny," she said into his chest, desperately trying to distract herself from the corpse on the bed.

His hand froze at the middle of her back. "I didn't used to. I used to think I was in control. I used to believe that I decided how my life was going to work out." He removed his hand from her back and gently pulled her away from him. He gripped her upper arms as he looked at her. "I used to believe that I could keep or remove certain people in my life. I liked to think that it was up to me whether I could live without someone or not." His hands slid down her arms until they were gripping her smaller ones. His eyes softened and a small smile graced his features. "I've come to realize that I am meant to be where I am. I was meant to have the past I have just as there is a reason for my future. They are all entwined together to create my destiny."

Megumi's heart stopped as they continued to gaze at each other. She struggled to shut down the clenching in her stomach and heart and fought to disregard how much she wanted to be a part of his future.

"We should probably talk to Miyaji-san," she said quietly, trying to cover her breathlessness.

Sadness covered Tomatsu's face like a shadow and he nodded. He released her arms and headed to the door with Megumi behind him. He turned over his shoulder and asked, "Do you want me to tell her?"

Megumi shook her head. She rolled her shoulders back and, with the professional façade back in place, said, "I'm her doctor. I'll handle it." She approached Tamotsu and the door but before she walked out of the room she looked back at Miyaji-san's husband. His skin had started to take on a gray hue. It was already hard to believe he had been alive a few moments ago.

_I'm sorry._

She straightened herself out and walked past Tomatsu who was holding the door open. Miyaji-san sat in the waiting room staring straight ahead. Tears had dried on her face and there was a lack of emotion on her face. Her body was rigid and her hands were clenched in her lap.

Megumi approached her and when she didn't look up she said, "Miyaji-san, come into my office. We need to talk." Miyaji-san slowly lifted her face to Megumi and nodded. Megumi led the way to her office and held the door open for her to enter. Before she closed the door she looked over at Tomatsu-san who was still in the doorway of the room with the deceased husband. His gaze was filled with grief.

She was sure hers was a mirror image.

* * *

A/N: i hope you guys liked it! Once again, forgive my lateness!

PLEASE REVIEW!


	6. The Realization

Hello everyone! Thank you for all of the reviews! I love all the comments.

I was originally going to have this be the last chapter but decided that it was going to be waay uber long if I had this part connected with it so I just decided to split them into two different ones. I would also like to apologize for my lack of medical knowledge (although, in my defense, there is actually a disease called Farmer's Lung). I just kind of said what made sense in my mind.

I've had some questions to why Megumi was so emotional about Miyaji-san's death when she was a doctor and should be used to it. They were very good questions and I decided in this chapter I was going to explain what I was thinking a little bit. I hope you are pleased with my interpretation.

With all that said, please enjoy this chapter!

Disclaimer: *sigh* it's unfortunate, but true. I don't own Rurouni Kenshin...*weeping*

* * *

Megumi felt a breeze caress her face and shivered slightly. As she noticed the breeze, she became aware of the sun shining behind her eyelids. She pulled the covers up so they were covering her face and curled up into a ball. It was time to get up; no matter how comfortable her futon seemed at the moment.

Megumi opened her eyes to see sunlight streaming into her room. Squinting, she looked around and saw the open window and a tray lay beside her bed. She slowly sat up and looked at the tray. On it was a complete, steaming breakfast and a note. Eyebrows pinching together, she reached over and grabbed it. Rubbing her eyes, she read:

_Megumi,_

_I thought you deserved to have breakfast in bed. Enjoy._

_Tomatsu_

He's a man of many words, she thought smiling. She peeked over the top of the note and looked at the breakfast. With steam rising from the surface, it looked like he had brought it in just moments ago.

Smiling, she looked up and out the window. The sun was shining and there was a lovely layer of dew coating the grass. It was a little chilly, a warning for the winter that should be showing up in a matter of days.

Megumi yawned widely and stretched feeling her back pop in the process. She dropped her arms lazily and rubbed her eyes once more.

A strange feeling began to creep into Megumi, ruining the pleasant morning. Something was missing. She felt like she was forgetting something important. She glanced out the window once more to judge the time.

Nine o' clock.

Nine o' clock!

Megumi scrambled out of bed in a panic. She rushed toward her closet and grabbed a robe and pulled it on as she—in an extremely un-ladylike fashion—leaped over the tray and rushed toward the door leading away from her personal quarters.

As she practically ran down the hall she admonished herself. In the five years she had been here, she had never overslept. What in the world caused her to today? What would the people start to think? This would be the perfect time for those radicals to start rumors of how she was slacking off or how she wasn't fit to be a doctor because she was a woman and couldn't work full time.

She reached to door and flung it open and marched out into the kitchen. She just needed to grab herself a quick cup of water before she began the day. Instead of finding an empty kitchen she discovered Tomatsu sitting at the table with a cup of tea. He was in the middle of sipping the liquid when she burst in.

They froze for a moment, both startled by the sudden appearance of the other. Tomatsu slowly lowered his cup and smiled at Megumi.

"Good morning, Takani-sensai," he said politely. "How are you feeling?"

With that question, the memory of the previous day shoved its way to the forefront of her mind. Sadness and shame crept through her as heat rose to her cheeks. She was embarrassed for having shown so much emotion in front of him.

"I'm fine," she stated. "Why in the world did you not wake me up? Did you not see what time it is? We are incredibly late!" She realized with chagrin she was in a robe. She crossed her arms. "Quickly, you go clean the rooms and get my supplies set out. I'll go get changed. If we move swiftly we'll be able to open without—," she trailed off as Tomatsu rose from his seat and walked to the counter. He pulled a cup from the cupboard and poured another cup of hot tea. Returning to his seat, he placed the new cup on the table across from him and returned to sipping his own cup.

Megumi's anger rose. "Did you not hear what I just said?" she exclaimed. "We have to—,"

Tomatsu interrupted her. "Sit," he said quietly.

Shocked at his interruption, Megumi said, "I don't think I will. I have things to do, and so do you. I hired you to work for me and if you refuse to I'll—,"

Tomatsu slammed his hand down on the table. Megumi fell silent in alarm. "Megumi. Sit. Down."

Stunned by his vehemence, Megumi did as he ordered. They sipped their tea in an awkward silence, trying not to make eye-contact. Tomatsu drained his cup and said, "I decided that you're going to take a day off today."

Megumi nearly spewed her tea. "Excuse me? Who are you to decide anything?" she demanded after painfully swallowing. "This is my clinic and I'll decide the schedule. You're simply hired help. You do as I say."

He placed his cup forcefully onto the table. "That's part of the problem here; you're in charge."

Shocked once again, she felt her mouth drop fractionally. Tomatsu raised a hand and pressed on his eyes. "I apologize, that came out wrong.

Sensing the opportunity to gain the upper hand, she crossed her arms and glared at him. "Oh no. Please, go on. I would love to hear your take on how I run things. You opinion matters _so _much to me," she said sarcastically.

She sensed his anger rising and felt grim satisfaction. "I'm sorry. That's not what I meant—," he said in a strained voice.

"Then what _did _you mean?" she demanded.

"If you'd shut your mouth, I'd explain!" he yelled, slamming his hands on the table again. Megumi scowled at him, stood up, and walked out of the room, half-hoping he would follow her. He did.

She heard him stand up loudly and follow her out of the room. She sped up to get to her office but he caught up and grabbed her wrist. He stopped walking and no matter how hard she pulled, she couldn't break his grip. She looked up and glared at him. "Let me go," she demanded loudly.

"Not until you hear me out," he demanded back.

Pride wanted her to stand there silently, glaring at him. The doctor in her was evaluating different ways to break his wrist. She glared at his hand, hoping that her gaze would sear his hand off. Unfortunately, it didn't. She looked up, directing her gaze at his face and waited expectantly, raising an eyebrow.

"You were upset last night," he said quickly. "The death of that man hit you hard so I thought you should rest. I put some of that sleeping stuff you give to overnight patients in your tea."

Megumi flashed back to the night before.

_Megumi closed the door as Miyaji-san left. She slowly placed her forehead on it and took a deep shuddering breath. Miyaji-san had sat quietly while Megumi tried to explain what she thought had happened. After questioning her, she discovered her husband had indeed smoked._

"_I believe that a combination of smoking and Farmers Lung weakened your husband's lungs," she began. "With the weak lungs the oxygen wasn't flowing easily which caused him to have a weak heart. His heart got to the point where it was so weak that it was extremely susceptible to heart failure."_

_Miyaji-san had accepted what she said without crying and had thanked her for her help on the way out. She told Megumi she'd have men come to pick him up in the morning. She'd even patted Megumi on the cheek and had given her a small, sad smile._

_Megumi raised her head and turned to begin the processes of closing the clinic. She walked past the room with the body without looking at it. She entered a different room and started to fold up the futon when it was taken away from her. She looked up and saw Tomatsu with a cup of tea in one hand and the futon in the other._

"_Why don't you let me clean up?" he asked, softly. "You just drink some tea and go to bed."_

_She accepted the drink but refused to go to bed. Five minutes later though, she felt like a fog had settled on her brain. She kept bumping into things and nearly fell over when she turned a corner to sharply. She finally conceded and told Tomatsu she was going to bed._

Rage filled Megumi, causing her to shake. "You drugged me?" she asked, fury making her voice quiet.

Tamotsu grabbed her other hand and leaned over so they were eye-to-eye. "That man's death hurt you, Megumi. You needed a break," he said, trying to make her understand.

"I was fine," she said quietly. "I _am_ fine." She looked down at his chest. "It was nothing.

"There's nothing wrong with taking a break," he said softly. "Everybody needs rest."

"Well I'm not everybody," she said intensely, causing Tamotsu to blink. "I was upset for a little bit. Death is a part of being a doctor. I'm used to it."

She continued to stare at his chest. He released her hands causing her to look up at him. He looked at her strangely as he asked, "Then why are you so bothered by it?"

Unbidden memories of her past came to mind, causing her to look away. She didn't want to go into it. She didn't want to talk about it. She didn't even want to think of it.

Startling her, Tomatsu's hand gently touched her cheek, the calluses rubbing soothingly on her face. She looked up, surprised, and felt like he was looking past her eyes into her soul. "You can talk to me, Megumi. I don't want you hurting," he said, his gaze scorching.

His hand wouldn't allow her to move her head, but she lowered her eyes and bit her lip. Why must he pressure her? She didn't want to talk about it.

He moved his hand under her chin and tilted her head up slightly. Unwillingly, she met his gaze once more. "Please talk to me, Megumi," his asked, his eyes begging.

She hesitated. "My past is...filled with death," she said, unsure. "I was the cause of a lot of it." Tears came to her eyes and she wrenched her head out of his grip and looked down at the ground. She blinked away the tears and took a steadying breath. "Being a doctor is my way of redeeming myself. When someone in my clinic dies—," she cut off, thinking of Miyaji-san's husband, "then I blame myself."

All was quiet for a moment. A bird chirped a happy song outside and the racket of children playing floated through the windows.

"Megumi—," began Tomatsu.

"I'm always fine by the next day though," she interrupted, looking up at him. "There's no reason to be so concerned and it's definitely not grounds to close the clinic for a day."

There was a beat of silence before Tamotsu took a step forward and gathered Megumi into his arms. His long, thick arms easily wrapped around her and crushed her to his chest. Despite her objections, he continued holding her.

"You're very good at keeping a tough face," he whispered behind her ear, making her shiver. "Your very aura shows off your confidence and strength. However, even strong people have weak moments. Your weak moments are when you are reminded of your past." Keeping her in his clutches, he leaned back to look at her. "Don't let your past with opium affect you now. It no longer has a hold on you. You're not a killer, you're a healer. You're redeeming yourself with the lives you are now saving."

Tears came once again to her eyes and she pressed her face into his chest. He began slowly rubbing her back as she focused on taking deep breaths to stop herself from crying.

Suddenly, realization punched her in the gut. She leaned back again and looked into his eyes. "How did you know about the opium?" she asked quietly. She hadn't told anybody in this city about it. His eyes widened and his mouth dropped. He started stuttering out replies when all of a sudden someone knocked on the door.

Tomatsu looked at the door and Megumi saw the relief on his face. "Don't think we're done with this," she hissed. She shoved him away and he released her. She marched over to the door and swung it open angrily.

It was the Himuras.

* * *

A/N: Yayy! Don't we love cliff-hangers? I really enjoyed writing Megumi and Tomatsu's argument and I hope you liked reading it as much as I did writing it. Please come back for my final chapter! Oh, and something for you all to chew on, I'm seriously considering writing this story all from Tomatsu's point of view. Tell me what you think.

Review please! I accept flames!


	7. Recognition

Hello everbody! Thank you for continuing to read my story! I appreciate your reviews so much.

So on the plus side (or the bad side depending on how much you like this story) I totally lied when I said this was the last chapter. The NEXT one will be the last chapter. This time I PROMISE! Lol.

Enjoy!

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Surprise and joy flooded Megumi as she gazed upon the people of her past. Kaoru, Kenshin, Yahiko, and little Kenji all smiled at her when they saw her reaction. She couldn't stop the ecstatic laugh that bubbled from within her. Kaoru stepped forward and gave Megumi a huge hug, flooding her senses with the familiar scent of jasmine.

"I've missed you so much Megumi," cried Kaoru in her ear.

"As I have missed you," she responded, her grin feeling like it was permanently attached to her face.

They leaned back, still in each other's grip, and studied one another. Kaoru was looking just as young as ever, however now there was now a look of maturity on her face that suited her. She had the look of a wife and mother even though her big, blue eyes let her innocence shine through. Her eyes were still that of a child. Her body however was another story. Although the kimono made her look soft, her body was firm with the muscle she gained as a martial artist. She was absolutely stunning.

Megumi stepped back and to the right, ushering them in, and studied each one in turn.

Kenji, in Kenshin's arms, was much bigger than the last time she saw him. His hair was a great deal longer—to the middle of his back—and just as fiery red as his father's. He was grinning, if a little shyly, and buried his head in his father's shoulder when Megumi smiled back at him.

Kenshin still looked like he was drinking from the fountain of youth. He now looked like he was about twenty-five although Megumi knew he was somewhere around thirty-three now. His hair was shorter than the last time she saw him and his scar had mostly faded. She noticed he walked a little stiffly now and the doctor part of her remarked that it was probably due to his constant injuries and his use of the Amakakeru Ryu no Hirameki. She also noticed that he had forgone his pink gi and had taken up a simple blue piece. He grinned at her as he walked past and said, "Hello Megumi-dono. It's very nice to see you again."

"I'm very happy to see you too, Kenshin," smiled Megumi, amused that he remained diligent in his use of the honorific.

Following after him was Yahiko and he had changed the most out of all of them. He'd gone from a ten-year-old boy to becoming a fifteen-year-old man, as he had obviously gone through his genpuku what with his chest puffed out. He had grown considerably, going from being just above her waist to just below her eyes. He was evidently doing well in the Kamiya Kasshin for he was well muscled and very fit. His hair was just as spiky as it had always and his cocky grin was still in place. He now wore a sleek, black gi with a blade at his side. Megumi frowned at this but figured everything would be explained in due time. He had an air of confidence that radiated from him as he walked, talked, and even looked at people.

"Hello, Megumi," he said, voice lower then what she remembered, "Long time no see."

She smirked at him and felt fox ears pop out of her head. "It's nice to see you too, Yahiko-chan."

Instead of throwing a fit like he normally would have done, he simply raised an eyebrow and tilted his chin up. "I'm anything but little now, Megumi," he said cockily, placing his hand on his blade.

Megumi stepped forward to the boy-man and pinched his cheek. "You'll always be my Yahiko-chan," she said sweetly while twisting and pulling his cheek.

He jerked away from her. "Ow! Geez, Megumi! You're just as annoying as I remember!" he said, rubbing his cheek.

Megumi simply laughed and was about to comment when Kaoru began to talk.

"Megumi, you'll just _have_ to tell me what's been going on with you," she began as she walked farther into the clinic. "How's your clinic going? Have you had any trouble? Are you resting enough? Are you—," she cut off as Tomatsu came into her line of vision. She blinked in surprise and simply stared at him.

Remembering her anger toward him, Megumi said curtly, "Everyone, this is Tomatsu-san. I hired him a few weeks ago to work for me. Tomatsu, this is Kaoru-san, Kenshin-san, Yahiko-kun, and Kenji-chan."

The room was silent for a moment before Tomatsu bowed respectfully. "It's nice to meet you all."

Kaoru frowned at him and placed a finger on her chin. "You know Tomatsu-san, you remind of someone..."

"Sanosuke," answered Yahiko promptly. "Except Sanosuke wouldn't have bowed. He's got about as much manners as a hungry bear."

"San-ske," exclaimed a randomly excited Kenji. Everyone laughed at his outburst as Kaoru took Kenji from Kenshin's arms. She playfully flicked him on the nose and smiled when he giggled. Kenshin moved closer and placed a hand on Kaoru's back as she said, "I'm sorry to ask you this Megumi, but could we go to the kitchen? Kenji is going to get hungry soon and I'd rather not deal with him when he's cranky."

"Of course," Megumi said smoothly. Turning toward the men she said, "You all can stay here and get to know one another."

As Kaoru and Megumi left with Kenji, Kenshin and Tomatsu stared at each other. Yahiko glanced back and forth between the two men as Kenshin quietly said, "It's very nice to meet you," he paused for a moment then raised an eyebrow, "Tomatsu-san."

* * *

Megumi and Kaoru spent the time it took for the soup to cook talking. Kaoru told her all about what had happened at the dojo since she'd left. Kaoru was teaching at several other dojos now that Yahiko was old enough to help out at their own. Apparently he was a very strict teacher due to his own rigid tutorage and had a class full of disciplined and talented, if not exhausted, students. After his genpuku when he had turned fifteen, Yahiko was awarded Kenshin sakabatou. Kenshin had thus passed on his gentle, life-valuing legacy on to the next generation. Along with his passing on hope, Kenshin had learned to completely let go of the past. He never carried a sword anymore and focused his attention mostly on domestic issues as well as simple pleasures with Kaoru and Kenji. Every now and then, when they needed money, he would be hired by Saito to accomplish something simple for the police (catch a criminal, investigate a disturbance, etc...) but he never used a weapon. He used simple martial arts moves to incapacitate the criminal until other officers arrived.

Kaoru waved her hand in a dismissive gesture. "Enough about me. Tell me about what's been going on with you." She placed her head in her hand and waited expectantly. Kenji, meanwhile, was singing a song to himself.

Megumi explained how things had been going. She talked about how at the beginning it was rough, both financially and socially, to which Kaoru started turned red. Megumi could sense a temper explosion coming from her and quickly moved on to the next topic. She talked about some of the annoying men who came to marry her and Kaoru couldn't help but laugh at the hopeless saps. She also talked about some of her patients. She described some of the interesting cases, the disturbing cases, and the ones that had a happy ending.

When Megumi finished Kaoru raised an eyebrow at her in disbelief. "Is that it?"

Megumi blinked at her words. "What do you mean?" she asked as she brought the soup and sat it in front of Kenji. Looking at him, she said, "Be very careful, Kenji-chan. It's hot."

He nodded solemnly. "Yes, 'Gumi-san," he said, shortening her name to make it pronounceable.

She smiled at him while Kaoru said, "You didn't even tell me when and how you met Tomatsu-san."

"Oh," she said. Feeling restless all of a sudden, she got up, walked over to the counter, and began slowly filling two bowls of soup. "I met him, oh, maybe four or five weeks ago."

"Hmm," she said, encouraging her to continue.

"He's working to pay off the treatment I gave him," she said, turning with the two bowls in hand.

Kaoru grinned mischievously. "That must have been some surgery you gave him if he's been working for you _that_ long."

Megumi felt flustered but refused to show it to the younger woman. Instead, she raised her own eyebrows coldly and said, "Are you trying to insinuate something, Kaoru?"

Kaoru looked away and grabbed a napkin to clean Kenji's already messy face. "Not at all, Megumi," she said smugly. "I was simply making a comment. He's a very nice looking man." She picked out flecks of peas Kenji managed to get into his hair.

"Maybe so, but he's incredibly nosy." She placed the bowls in front of Kaoru and herself.

"How?" she asked, sampling her soup.

"Within the first two weeks I found him snooping through my paperwork. He's always asking personal questions, and just this morning he managed to get into my personal quarters," she said, slowly showing more and more of her frustration. It hadn't occurred to her until now that Tomatsu had gone into her bedroom when she'd specifically told him to _never_ do that.

Kaoru nearly spit up her soup. She placed a hand firmly over her mouth and swallowed. "What!" she exclaimed finally. "He was in your _room_?"

Realizing her interpretation of what she said, Megumi's face heated but she fought it off. "Not like that, you silly raccoon," she said teasingly. "He gave me breakfast in bed," which she also realized was still on the tray in her room.

Kaoru tried to stifle a grin. "Oh," she said; a double-meaning obvious in her tone. "That was kind of him to do that for you."

Megumi's eyes narrowed. "I see what you're trying to do, Kaoru," she said, "and it's not going to work. Our relationship is strictly professional."

Kaoru took another sip of her soup. "If I didn't know better, I'd say you two just had a lover's quarrel, what with the cold way you were treating him. Isn't it common for professional partners to be," she paused, thinking of the word, "cordial?" she asked as she raised her eyes to meet Megumi's.

Megumi raised her chin in defiance. "I don't know what you're talking about. We _are_ cordial"

Kaoru rolled her eyes just as Kenji threw his spoon on the table. "I don't want more," he cried out.

Kaoru turned to him and picked up the spoon. She filled it with the liquid and held it up to him. "Eat some soup, Kenji. Aunt Megumi was nice enough to make it for you."

Kenji turned his head away defiantly and crossed his arms. Kaoru's eyes narrowed. "Kenji Himura. If you don't eat your soup right now I'm going to let Yahiko feed you and then you'll go right to bed."

Kenji looked back up at her with a pale face. His blue eyes began to water and his mouth started quivering. "B—but Yahiko is m—mean to m—me," he stuttered, his breath coming in gasps, signaling the start of severe crying.

Megumi blinked in surprise and looked at Kaoru. Kaoru met her questioning gaze and rolled her eyes at the antics of her son. "Eat the soup and Yahiko won't be mean to you."

Kenji looked at the spoon in his mother's hand suspiciously. He finally conceded with eyes still watering. He opened his mouth as Kaoru gently spooned the liquid into his petulant mouth. She pulled the spoon out as Kenji swallowed and she smiled. "There, wasn't that good?" she asked sweetly. Kenji shrugged innocently and took the spoon from his mother. He began feeding himself in dejected silence.

Megumi smothered her laughter with a hand and looked at Kaoru whose shoulders were shaking with her own restrained amusement. Once in control of herself, Kaoru said, "Doesn't he remind you Sanosuke?"

Megumi didn't even blink at that even though on the inside she shook. She had desperately hoped Kaoru wouldn't talk about this. She shrugged nonchalantly. "I've never thought about it."

Kaoru's face twisted to one of disbelief. "Oh don't you lie to me, Megumi Takani. I know you when you're lying even if I haven't seen you in years."

Megumi froze at her accusation. She was still trying to think of a response when Yahiko, Kenshin, and Tomatsu entered the kitchen. "I'm hungry," stated Yahiko.

"Yahiko, be polite," demanded Kaoru.

Now taller than her, he turned and looked down at her imperiously. "I'll be polite to whoever I want to be."

Kaoru whipped out her bokken, startling Megumi. She'd forgotten she could do that. "You'll be polite to whoever I tell you to!" she yelled.

Yahiko stuck his tongue out at her. Kaoru exploded and began chasing Yahiko around the room. Panic ensued. Yahiko and Kaoru were yelling at each other, Kenji was laughing and clapping his hands, and Kenshin was trying to catch and calm Kaoru. Tomatsu and Megumi were left to just stare at the madness. They looked at each other and both busted out laughing. Tomatsu threw his head back, while Megumi clutched her stomach and covered her mouth with her hand. Megumi ran out of air and reached out to lean against Tomatsu to stop from falling over. The noise level was escalating as Megumi said, "I've missed them so much." Tomatsu said something as well but she couldn't hear him.

"What did you say?" she asked.

Tomatsu shook his head in the universal 'never mind' sign. They continued to watch the lunacy that was going on until Kenshin had caught Kaoru and Yahiko had picked Kenji up and was using him as a shield. Kenji had laughed the entire time.

Once everyone had calmed and Kaoru and Yahiko were simply glaring at one another, Megumi said, "Perhaps we should start lunch?" Everyone grumbled in agreement.

Megumi headed into the kitchen followed by Kenshin. "Is there anything I can do to help, Megumi-dono?" he asked warmly.

Megumi turned toward him and raised an eyebrow. "Just because Kaoru can't cook doesn't mean I can't, Ken-san," she said teasingly. "Besides, you're a guest. Send in Tomatsu in. He needs to earn his meals anyway."

Megumi turned, ignoring Kenshin's soft protest. She began to pull plates and cups and bowls out of the cupboard and proceeded to chop up vegetables. As Kenshin left the room, depressed, her mind began to wander while performing the monotonous task.

With everyone over it was just as if the entire gang was together again. Kaoru and Yahiko: the troublemakers, Kenshin: the peacekeeper, and Megumi: the teaser. All that was missing was Sanosuke.

Megumi's heart gave a small twinge.

Instead they had a stranger. One who resembled Sanosuke enough to hurt her heart but different enough to not be led into the false hope of believing it was actually him. No, she wasn't concerned with _who_ he was. She was more concerned with what he knew. How could he have known about the opium? The only people who knew about it were the Kenshin-gumi. How was it possible that this man, whom she met only weeks prior, know so much about her while she knew so little about him?

Heavy footsteps signaled the approach of said man. She kept her back to him as he stopped in the center of the room. The methodical chopping noise of the blade was the only sound besides the chatter of guests in the background.

"Did you need something, Takani-sensai?" he asked politely.

She paused a moment before answering. "Yes. Start boiling the water."

He moved immediately toward the pot and began to heat it. Once it started to warm, there was nothing else for him to do but wait. They fell into an awkward silence.

Boldly, Megumi asked, "How was it you came to think that I had dealings with opium?"

He hesitated for a length of time. "It was just one of those things you hear in the marketplace," he said cautiously.

Megumi began chopping the vegetables in a way that almost seemed cold. Silence fell once more and soon the air was full of the sound of bubbling water and the rise and fall of Megumi's sharp blade. Megumi informed him of the other ingredients needed and he proceeded to dig through the kitchen to find them. They stopped talking as each went on with their separate tasks; each left to his or her own thoughts.

Megumi knew he was lying. First of all, no one in this town knew anything about her. There was no one in the 'marketplace' who could talk about her, for there was nothing to talk about. The only thing people in this city knew about her was that she was a woman and she was a good doctor. That's it.

Megumi peeked at him just as he started pouring an ingredient into the boiling water. He grabbed a large wooden spoon and began to slowly stir the bowl. He was obviously not paying attention to the task. His eyes were unfocused and his expression was relaxed and void of emotion. He stirred the contents in the bowl smoothly until, after stirring more aggressively for a moment, one rogue bead of boiling water flew from the pot onto his arm. She watched as Tomatsu was forced out of his contemplation and winced as he flicked the blob away from his flesh. He was rubbing the now tender spot on his arm when he sensed Megumi's gaze. He lifted his eyes and Megumi schooled her expression to show nothing.

Their gazes met and held.

Kami, if only he wasn't so beautiful. He was tall and strong; fit and lean. His shaggy brown hair partially hid his deep brown eyes and his chest was barely concealed by a low-cut gi. When his lips parted and curved as he smiled it made her stomach clench up. He was funny, intelligent, caring, and loyal. Basically, it was a combination that could shatter the hearts of women everywhere. There were no words to describe how much she didn't want to become one of those females.

"Megumi?" breathed Tomatsu. She tore her gaze away from his and focused once more on the vegetables.

It was unfortunate that—whether she liked it or not—she was becoming exactly like them.

She closed her eyes. Why was it these thoughts preyed on her mind at times such as these? They seemed to spring without warning, making it difficult for her to breath. She just wanted to enjoy her company for the evening and not be bothered with such whimsical thoughts.

Something warm touched her arm and, startled, she opened her eyes and twisted her head. Tomatsu had taken hold of her arm. He opened his mouth to speak but it froze.

She gently pulled her arm out of his grasp. "We need to serve the food," she said, half-despising and half-enjoying the tingles that remained on her flesh from his touch.

Without checking to see if he was following, she re-entered the dining room and placed the meal in front of the rambunctious guests. Food went flying and yells were heard. For the next few hours there was yelling, laughing, burping, and all other manners of obnoxious behavior.

At around the fourth hour, after taking Kenji for a nap, Kaoru turned to Tomatsu. "So tell me a little bit about yourself, Tomatsu-san."

Yahiko and Megumi were in the middle of a heated discussion about whether being a doctor or a samurai was better, but Megumi still tuned in to the conversation on the other side of the table.

Tomatsu reached up and scratched his head. "There's not much to tell honestly. I was an orphan as a child and as soon as I was old enough I started traveling."

Kaoru's voice drifted over the table. "So how old were you when you first started traveling?"

"Oh, I'd say when I was around nineteen."

"Where have your travels taken you?"

"Oh, I've been everywhere. I spent a few months in China and Mongolia. I've been to Egypt, Greece, Italy, Germany, England, and the U.S. I also spent a lot of time in South America." Out of the corner of her eye she saw him scratch his chin. "I also passed through some of them little countries, but almost nothing interesting happened there."

Their conversation drifted out of hearing and Megumi was only able to imagine what they were talking about. She was mad that, in a few short seconds, Kaoru had learned more about Tomatsu then she had in weeks.

Needless to say, she was jealous.

Hours past and the conversation began to slow as the sun sunk below the horizon. Yahiko began to yawn obnoxiously and, taking that as a sign, Megumi rose and began trying to usher people into bed.

"You can have some of the patient rooms," Megumi said, making her way down the hallway to the empty quarters.

Kenshin stood as Kaoru did. "That's not necessary, Megumi-dono," he protested gently. "We can find an inn. We saw one on our way here in fact. We'll sleep there for tonight."

Megumi frowned at him and crossed her arms. "I will not have some of my dearest friends sleeping in some run-down inn when I have perfectly suitable rooms in this building." Kaoru started to interrupt but Megumi talked over her. "Don't offend me by rejecting my hospitality."

Kaoru and Kenshin looked at each other guiltily. "Oh, why not take the old braud up on her offer," said Yahiko, mid-yawn. "I'm too tired to walk anywhere else."

Kaoru glared over at Yahiko. "I can't believe that your manners are that terrible! Megumi just got done making us a delicious meal. You should at least be a little polite!"

Yahiko reached up and scratched his head lazily. "That's true. It's much better than the crap you'd have given me."

The bokken made an appearance once more as Kaoru beat Yahiko over the head. They ran into the next room over and the racket woke Kenji who then began to cry. Kenshin looked over at Megumi sheepishly. "I'm sorry, Megumi-dono. I'll go get Kenji and then we'll be right to bed, that we will. You need your rest."

Megumi rolled her eyes. "You're the ones who have been traveling. You need rest. Don't worry about me so much. I'll be fine."

Kenshin smiled sweetly at her. "If you say so, Megumi-dono."

Megumi winked at him as he turned to get Kenji out of one of the bedrooms. As his footsteps faded, Megumi was once more left alone with Tomatsu. She took a deep breath and silently let it out, releasing her nerves along with it. "Tomatsu, please go and grab some extra blankets for the Himuras."

"Yes, Takani-sensai," he said quietly. He left silently to do as she asked.

Megumi set about cleaning up the kitchen. She picked up all the dishes and placed them into the sink. Heading back to the table, she straightened the cushions and was beginning to wipe the table down when Kenshin peeked his head in. "Good night, Megumi-dono," he said, a sleeping Kenji resting on his shoulder.

Megumi smiled at the sweet scene. "Good night, Ken-san. Tell Kaoru we'll talk more in the morning." Kenshin nodded and disappeared from the doorway.

Megumi sighed and continued the job of wiping the table. Once that was finished she returned to the kitchen to begin the dishes. She reached in to grab the first plate and shivered as a chilly breeze swept across her flesh. Frowning, she looked up and saw that the window was open from when she'd tried to get some fresh air earlier that day. With another tremor, she walked toward it and shut it quietly. The reprieve from the cold was instantaneous and she let out a sigh of relief.

"Winter is almost here."

Megumi jumped and whipped around. Tomatsu was leaning on the doorway with his arms crossed, watching her.

"Yes, I suppose it is," she said, calming her suddenly frayed nerves. She turned back toward the sink and set about trying to focus on doing the dishes. Footsteps approaching her made her stomach tighten more and more until Tomatsu came forward and took the plate from her hand.

"I wash, you dry," he said, smiling brilliantly.

She cursed her weak knees as she said, "That's unnecessary. You're probably tired."

Tomatsu shrugged. "You're probably tired too. You're just too stubborn to admit it."

She raised a brow but didn't protest. They worked quietly for a while. The work was methodical and didn't require much thought. That was unfortunate for Megumi. The mindlessness of it left her completely aware of when their hands accidently brushed each other's or when their elbows touched while manipulating the dishes. The silence steadily grew more and more tense and soon Megumi felt like she was being smothered by it.

"What did you think of the group?" she asked finally, trying to rid them of the oppressive stillness.

Tomatsu looked at her startled. "They seemed nice," he said, looking back down at the sudsy water.

She peeked at him out of the corner of her eye. "Just nice?" she probed.

He chuckled at her perusal. "The boy is obnoxious."

Megumi snorted. "He gets that from Sanosuke. It's been five years since he last saw him. You'd think all the bad impressions he gave the child would have worn off by now."

"He can't have been that bad," he said.

"You don't know him," she said, placing a dish in the dry stack. "He had the worst manners in the world. No 'please' and no 'thank you'. He was the biggest mooch you could have ever met."

There was a pause in the conversation. "It doesn't sound like you miss him much," he said, stopping his dish washing to flick soap off his gi.

Megumi slowed until the towel in her hand stopped drying the dish. Setting the towel down, she once again placed a dish on the dry stack. "Not necessarily," she said slowly. "He had good qualities." Megumi stopped talking, aware that Tomatsu wanted her to elaborate. She couldn't. If she did, she might further embarrass herself by crying.

"Like what?" he asked, obviously not hearing her silent plea to stop the questioning.

Megumi shrugged, focusing on keeping emotion out of her voice. "He was strong and brave. He was intelligent when he wanted to be . . .," the knife of her past flashed through her mind, ". . . and he was a good friend," she said quietly. "He was a very good friend.

Tomatsu, who seemed to have finally sensed her mood, fell silent. For awhile all that was heard was the clinking of dishes and the splashing of water. Tomatsu handed Megumi the final cup and washed the soap off his hands as Megumi dried it.

"I'm sure he misses you too," he said quietly, drying his hands on his hakama.

Startled, she asked, "What?"

He sighed and looked down at his feet before raising his head to meet her eyes. "I'm sure that he misses you as well." His eyes were wide and clear and bore into her heart. If it was possible, his eyes were filled with happiness tinged with gloom. It was almost beautiful.. His gaze became too much and tears began to form in the back of her eyes. She immediately dropped her head and focused on drying her hands.

This was ridiculous. Why was she tearing up just by looking at him?

"Yes, well, he's gone now," she said, her voice sounding slightly raw. "He must really be enjoying himself if he's been gone this long," she said, sarcasm evident in every word. Megumi dropped the towel on the counter, suddenly tired, and said, "Good night, Tomatsu. I'm going to bed. You may sleep in one of the extra rooms tonight if you want."

She stepped around Tomatsu to leave the room. When she was in the doorway he called her. "Megumi?"

Megumi stopped and turned to look at him, a question on her brow. He gave her a said smile and said, "I'm sure he has a reason for not being here. If he's as good a friend you say he is, then he must have an excellent reason for not being with you."

Annoyance ripped through Megumi. She didn't want him defending Sanosuke. "I'll be the judge of that," she said coldly. She turned on her heel and stalked to her bedroom.

* * *

Megumi awoke just as the sun was peeking over the horizon. She rubbed her eyes and sat up with a huge yawn. Itching her head, she stood and proceeded to get dressed, remembering her guests would probably be craving some breakfast soon.

After dressing, she left her room and headed to the kitchen. She heard muffled voices coming from the room and she slowed.

"—anything to do with me," said Tomatsu. Megumi frowned. His voice was strained and dejected sounding.

"You know what you have to do," said Kenshin quietly. He seemed to be consoling Tomatsu about something. Megumi was confused. Since when were Kenshin and Tomatsu on speaking terms? It sounded like they were having a serious conversation. Megumi rejected that thought the moment it came. Tomatsu was one of the most private people she knew, second only to Kenshin. "Sometimes doing the right thing isn't the easiest path," continued Kenshin gently.

Megumi strode in at that point, startling the two men sitting there. When she first entered Tomatsu had had his head in his hands and was talking down at the table. Kenshin was seated opposite of him and had placed his forearms on the table, his hands grasping each other tightly. Megumi pursed her lips at this. His voice and tone had been calm but his body language told her otherwise.

"Good morning," she said pleasantly, trying to avoid being suspected of eavesdropping.

"Good morning, Megumi-dono," said Kenshin smiling at her. Megumi noted that his rurouni smile was in place and wondered at what he was trying to hide. "I've already started breakfast, that I have. Why don't you take my seat?" he rose in confirmation of his question. "I need to check on the food anyways."

Megumi was about to protest this but Kenshin—startling her with his swiftness—left the room in a hurry. Annoyed at having been dismissed so readily, Megumi sat down at the table. Looking up at Tomatsu, she frowned. He seemed to be extremely nervous this morning. His eyes were flitting back and forth, his left hand was pulling at the cloth of his hakama as his right kept messing with his hair. When he met her gaze he smiled awkwardly and looked away, smile dropping from his face as he did so.

"Is something the matter?" Megumi asked.

He glanced up at her again before looking away. "No," he said, rubbing his nose.

She leaned forward and placed her elbow on the table with her head in her hand. "Your behavior begs to differ."

He peered at her out of the corner of his eye then turned away immediately, remaining silent.

She stared at the side of his head. "You know you can talk to me right?" Tomatsu jerked his head toward her, his face mirroring the surprise that she felt. She had thought that in her mind but didn't mean to voice it. She shrugged at him. "I mean you've been here for awhile," she started before looking out the window to avoid his gaze, "and I've already kind of dumped some stuff on you about my personal life. I wouldn't find it annoying at all if you felt the need to talk to me as well."

A bird flitted onto the tree she had been looking at as she waited for Tomatsu's response. It had just begun singing a lovely tune when he said, "There—there has been something on my mind actually," he stammered. Megumi turned toward him finally and saw that he was staring at the table. "My name isn't Tomatsu," he said heavily.

Megumi raised her eyebrows. "I know that. I was the one who gave you that name."

"Right," he said, chuckling nervously. "My name—,"

"Megumi?" interrupted Kenshin, peeking his head into the room. "I need something from the market for my meal. Can you point me in the general direction of it? I can go get it myself."

For a moment Megumi understood Kaoru's urge to throw something heavy at Kenshin. Tomatsu was finally going to tell her what his name was! But now she could tell from his current expression that he'd lost the desire to tell her anything. Megumi took a deep breath and released it slowly. Wanting Kenshin to go get it himself, but then again not wanting to be rude, she said, "Don't be ridiculous Ken-san. You're a guest. Just tell me what you need and I'll go and get it." She barely held in a sigh of annoyance.

Kenshin frowned and shook his head. "I don't want to put you through any trouble, Megumi-dono."

Megumi stood while waving her hand dismissively. "If it were up to you Kenshin I would remain on my rear for your entire visit." She placed her hands on her hips and looked at Kenshin authoritatively. "Just tell me what you need." Kenshin was about to protest until Megumi raised her eyebrows. His mouth slammed shut.

"If I remember correctly," she started quietly, a smirk lighting her features, "Kaoru and Yahiko don't like to have a late breakfast," Kenshin's face paled, "and something tells me, based on his genes, Kenji doesn't much like his food late either." Kenshin's eyes widened. "So why don't you tell me what you need or I won't tell you where the marketplace is."

Kenshin's shoulders slumped in defeat and told her what he needed. Smiling at her victory, Megumi headed for the door. Footsteps sounding behind her made her turn her head. Tomatsu was following her closely and nearly ran her over when she stopped. "What are you doing?" she asked.

He smiled at her. "Well, you _did_ hire me to escort you to the market. It would be unfortunate if, on the one time I didn't accompany you, you were the victim of a robber."

Megumi was about to argue just for the sake of arguing until she realized the validity of his statement. She shrugged and began heading out the door, knowing he was right behind her.

Besides, if she was lucky, she might just figure out who he was after all.

* * *

They entered the marketplace at the busiest time of the day. People were hustling and bustling to get to their desired stalls. Laughter, talking, and cursing could be heard based on who you were, what you were doing, and whether or not your foot had been stepped on. Megumi, being the expert shopper that she was, expertly weaved through the crowds with Tomatsu following behind her.

Conversation flowed easily between the two; mainly focusing on the plans for the day. They bounced ideas off each other as they walked. Actually, Megumi was doing the actual planning. Tomatsu was just acting like a fool. He kept cracking stupid jokes and saying ridiculous things that, although not usually one for idiocy, made Megumi laugh.

After giggling at something that was particularly hysterical, Tomatsu gave her a playful shove. Megumi bumped her hip into the corner of a booth earning herself the cursing of the man who owned it. Megumi—sincerely trying to keep a straight face—apologized profusely as Tomatsu chuckled loudly in the background. Once they managed to get away from the grumpy man, they burst out laughing again.

As they were walking Megumi noticed a crowd approaching her. Before she even thought to move, Tomatsu reached over and firmly placed his hand on the small of her back. He pulled her in front of him to avoid the crowd. Mere inches separated her back from his chest and he didn't remove his hand. The tightness of the crowd around them made it feel like they were even closer.

Megumi clutched her hands in front of her as she realized that, if she swung her arms, they reached back and hit his thighs. Thanking Kami that she was in front of him, her cheeks bloomed with color as tingles traveled up her spine. She was so focused on Tomatsu that she forgot to watch her footing. Her foot caught and her eyes widened as she stumbled forward to try and catch herself.

She felt something snake around her middle and pressure was put there as her full weight pushed against it. She dangled there for a moment before the strong grip pulled her back up.

"Careful, Takani-sensai," said a smiling Tomatsu. She turned around and looked at him. "We wouldn't want you to fall and scratch that pretty face of yours would we? It might scare away the patients" he said teasingly.

Megumi barely heard the words. His arm was wrapped around her waist still and she felt like she could run marathons with all the adrenaline pumping through her. She was pressed up against his side and could feel his lungs expand as he breathed, pressing her even closer to him. He looked at her expectantly and, regaining control of her emotions, Megumi stepped out of his grip and laughed nervously. "Yes that would be unfortunate," she said.

They continued their walk in companionable silence from there. It might have been Megumi's imagination but it seemed they were closer than before. Every now and then their hands would brush each others, shooting electricity up her arm. When moving out of someone's way now, she was forced to press herself against him, making her that much more aware of him.

Soon the crowd came to a standstill. "What's going on?" Megumi asked, rising to the tips of her toes.

Tomatsu tipped his chin up to survey over the crowd. He shrugged nonchalantly. "Someone's probably getting into a fight."

Megumi whipped her head towards him with a frown. "You shouldn't say things like—,"

Tomatsu suddenly grabbed her hand and pulled her toward him. Her chest was pressed against his muscular as he lowered his head toward her ear. His hand reached around to her back and held her to him firmly as Megumi gasped for breath. She reached her hands up and frantically tried to push herself away. The electricity in her body was nearly overwhelming her.

"What are you doing?" she cried.

"Don't look now," he whispered, his warm breath on her neck sent shivers down her spine, "but our dear friend Hamada-san has chosen to make an appearance."

Frowning, she stretched her neck trying to see over her shoulder. Her ex-patient was standing a dozen feet away from them separated by the growing crowd. He was staring at her with an open mouth and an extremely shocked expression.

Megumi did a quick mental image of what he must be seeing and blushed. Here was the woman he wanted to marry being embraced by the same ruffian he'd been so disgusted with weeks prior. In public nonetheless!

Megumi managed to shove her way out of Tomatsu's grip. She turned to face Hamada-san but he'd already turned and his back was receding into the throng of shoppers. Pivoting, she faced Tomatsu once again, fury evident on her face.

"You purposefully embarrassed me!" she practically shrieked, earning the surprised looks of people around her.

Tomatsu smiled at her and shrugged. "I thought you didn't like that man. I was doing you a favor. He won't bother you anymore."

Megumi tightened her jaw and clenched her hands into fists. "You idiot!" she exclaimed.

Tomatsu frowned as she went on. "Do you not even consider the repercussions of your actions? I could care less if the man bothered me or not! I'm perfectly capable of handling it! However I cannot fight against a city full of rumors!" She took a breath as Tomatsu's face started to cringe. She continued in a softer voice. "How long do you think it'll take for the whole city to find out that the new Lady Doctor is having an affair with her employee? Not only that, that same Lady Doctor is flaunting it in public!"

Unable to stomach seeing his face, Megumi stalked forward, shoving people out of the way mercilessly. She heard Tomatsu apologizing for her rudeness but she could care less. His footsteps signaled his drawing nearer as he came into view in her peripherals.

"I'm—," he began. Megumi held up her hand to stop his speaking.

"Don't apologize," she said through clenched teeth. "Don't even speak."

From there, their walk was continued in silence. Megumi stalked through the mob while Tomatsu sulked behind her. They soon arrived at the booth. Megumi stepped forward and started to speak before stopping herself in shock. Here behind the booth was a man she never thought she would see again. Not after his last incident with the government.

"Tsukioka Katsuhiro?" exclaimed Megumi.

Leaning forward, the man squinted up to look at Megumi. His eyes widened with recognition. "Takani-sensai!"

"What are you doing here?" she asked, confused.

"I've just been working," he said vaguely, but happily. "It's great to see you! How has everybody been? How is that Ishin Shishi manslayer of yours, Kenshin? And what about Sanos—," he cut off unexpectedly, looking behind her. A huge grin lit up his face as he came out from behind the booth.

Flustered, Megumi tried to make a quick introduction. "Katsuhiro-san, this is Toma—,"

"I know exactly who this is!" he yelled, slapping Tomatsu on the shoulder and giving him a hug. Megumi was stunned as was Tomatsu whose mouth was hanging open, looking at her. "How long have you been back in Japan, Sanosuke? I'd heard you left." He looked back and forth between the two. "Don't tell me you've been here long enough to get married." He looked at Megumi and spoke behind his hand. "I'm so sorry you had to marry an idiot like this one," he said winking, glancing at over at Tomatsu. "He's got about as much class as a monkey." He started laughing loudly, drawing attention from the crowd.

Megumi's heart tweaked at the mention of Sanosuke's name. She was just about to correct Katsuhiro when all of a sudden Tomatsu shoved him away. He took two steps toward her and gripped her upper arms almost painfully. Megumi blinked with surprise and saw pain and sadness cross Tomatsu's face.

"What's going—," she started.

"It's not what you think!" Tomatsu cried. Megumi frowned out of confusion. "I swear I was going to tell you, it was just never the right time!" He released her arms and walked around in a circle with his hands on his head. "Dammit!" he cried. He faced her once more and held up his hands in defeat. "I didn't want you to think I was some insensitive ass who just blatantly disregarded friendship. I—I swear to you! I just—just had to…,"

He went on and on but everything slowed down for Megumi. The world almost seemed to stop and the outsides of her vision became fuzzy. Her heart raced. Her adrenaline pumped. Her mind however, seemed to be lagging behind her other reactions.

_He flirts with me constantly. He loves fighting. He's obnoxious. He came to me with busted hands. He knew about the opium. He talks to Kenshin like their brothers. _

A memory flashed.

_He called me fox._

_I'M AN IDIOT!_

Megumi's body tensed with all the agitation. Her blood boiled. Her skin felt hot. Her toes were curled in her sandals like her fingers were in her palms. Her face became skewed and she clamped her jaw shut so quickly she almost bit off her tongue.

With all her pent up rage, she released every ounce of it with single word.

"Sanosuke."

* * *

A/N: AAAHH! Now we know! What do you think Megumi's reaction will be? I absolutely cannot WAIT to write the next chapter!

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	8. I'm so so sorry!

...Hi guys...

I know you all must totally hate me for putting this story on hold for months and I would not be surprised if you guys totally gave up on me. I'm so so so so so so so so so so so so so so so so so so so so so so so so sorry! I've had so many problems with writers block, technology, school, and life in general that I haven't even been able to think straight. I know this little notification is probably the last thing you want to see, but I just wanted to let you all know that I'm back and ready to start writing again!

I'm about half-way done with this last chapter and I'm on spring break (!) therefore I should be able to donate several hours of unadulterated focus to my muse. Again, I'm so sorry!

Please don't give up on me! You guys are my world!

Thanks so much!


	9. Pain

Hey guys! I finally got part of it done! I'm sorry to say that this is NOT the last chapter, but its the second to last. I was going to make this ending one huge chapter, but I decided to have mercy on you guys, since it's been forever since I last wrote, and post half of it. The confrontation between Megumi and Sanosuke will be NEXT chapter. I really hope you enjoy this next one!

Disclaimer: No Rurouni Kenshin for me :(

* * *

Rage boiled within Megumi making her hands shake. She lowered her head, hiding her face behind her bangs and fought the urge to rip Sanosuke apart with her bare hands.

"Sanosuke," she said in a low voice, her fury made itself evident by shaking her voice.

"Megumi, please," cried Sanosuke, coming toward her, reaching for her arms.

The moment he touched her Megumi slapped his arm away with all the force she could muster. Slowly, ever so slowly, she lifted her head to face his now familiar expression. How could she have not seen it before? It was so obvious! The facts were staring her right in the face! He had the exact same hair. He wore those bindings around his stomach. He was obnoxious, flirtatious, and just as prone to fighting. His warm, brown eyes never changed.

Except now, it seemed he was an extremely adept liar.

Sanosuke looked at her with something akin to fear. Frozen where he stood, he couldn't look away from her angry gaze. Megumi's upper lip curled up into a snarl. Her muscles tightened even further and, with all her pent up wrath, she fought her animalistic desire to rip this man apart. Even with his incredible strength, she did not doubt for a second that she could destroy him with her bare hands.

Gaining slight control of her legs, Megumi turned and tried to march away.

"Megumi!" Sanosuke yelled again, reaching forward and grabbing her shoulder.

Megumi lost it. She forced Sanosuke's arm from her and turned to face him. She grabbed his collar and yanked him down to her eye-level. His eyes widened at her violence when she bared her teeth at him.

"Don't. Ever. Touch. Me," she snarled. "Don't come back to my clinic. Don't ever talk to me. As far as I'm concerned, _Rooster_," she sneered, "you are dead." Megumi released the astonished man's shirt. With that, she turned away, lifted her kimono, and ran.

She ran and ran and ran, away from the man who tore her heart out _again_. Over the sound of her sandals hitting the ground, Megumi heard him call for her; she ignored him. Never would she return to him. Never would she call his name. Never again would a cowardly rooster hurt her.

Tears welled up in the back of Megumi's eyes. She lifted one hand and wiped her face, never slowing down. With her eyes covered, she ran into a stranger causing him to spill his belongings. Hearing him yell curses upon her, she ignored him and picked up her pace.

All she wanted was to go home. She wanted to get back to her clinic, shut the door, and cry. She was tired. Tired of everything and everyone, she just wanted to sleep. She wanted to sink into unconsciousness and forget today—or even this entire month. She wanted her mind wiped clean of the disease known as Tomatsu. She wished she never had met Sanosuke. She wouldn't be in this pain if she hadn't.

The clinic came into view as the tears spilled over. With trembling breaths, she approached the door and opened it with a sigh of relief. Her stomach sunk as she looked in the corner and saw Kaoru playing with Kenji. Both had looked up, startled at her sudden appearance.

Kenji's face lit up, oblivious to her tears. "Hi 'Gumi-san! We're playing! Want to play?" he asked, tilting his cute face to the side.

Megumi looked at Kaoru who stared back at her in shock at her tears. "No Kenji-chan," said Megumi, wiping her face. "Aunt Megumi is a little tired. I think I'll go take a nap." His face fell and Megumi felt mild guilt.

She started moving toward her room. "Kenji, why don't you go play out in the backyard for a little bit?" Kaoru asked, bending down to be at eye-level with the five-year-old. Kenji's eyes brightened, and with an eager nod, Kenji sprinted toward the back door. Kaoru smiled at his energy. Turning her head to look at Megumi, she noticed that she was already half-way out of the room.

"Megumi?" Kaoru called, stopping Megumi in her tracks. She winced; she thought she could make it out.

Raising her chin slightly, Megumi turned around quickly and faced Kaoru, an imperious look on her face. "Yes Kaoru? What is it?" she asked rather coldly.

Kaoru raised an eyebrow at her tone. "You're crying," she said just as icily.

In an effort to seem carefree, Megumi flipped her hair over her shoulder. "Don't be preposterous," she said, placing an almost feral smile on her face. "It's been years since I've cried."

Kaoru rolled her eyes. "I can see the tears on your face, Megumi. What's wrong?" Kaoru frowned and looked toward the front door and then back at Megumi. "Where is Tomatsu?"

Megumi's expression fell and she fought to keep an air of aloofness with the raging tempest of emotions going on behind her mask. "I've relieved him of his duties," she said, barely concealing the tremor in her voice.

Kaoru's eyebrows shot up in surprise. "You've fired him?"

"Yes," she said matter-of-factly. "I don't want him near this clinic. He's not to be allowed inside in any circumstances."

"Megumi, that's rid—," Kaoru began.

"I'm extremely tired and now I'm going to bed," Megumi interrupted. With that, she turned on her heel and rushed to her room, slamming the door behind her.

* * *

The clock hit the half hour mark, and Megumi still hadn't fallen asleep. Her eyelids felt heavy though they never closed.

With each passing second Megumi's anger had fled, leaving depression in its wake. As she lay on her tear-soaked pillow, she tried and failed to get enough will power to turn onto her right side. Her bones felt as heavy as her heart, and her muscles felt too weak to hold her up. Her eyes ached with tears that remained pooled behind her lashes. Pressed against her chest, her arm almost seemed like it was trying to hold her torso together.

Never had she experienced anything like this. She didn't know it was possible for someone to have this much of a hold on her. Her entire body—her very soul—ached for Sanosuke in a way that was terrible and frightening. Her heart and her mind were constantly at war with one another, furthering the pain she was feeling. Her pride said to forget him, her spirit fought to remember.

He's embarrassed me.

_He's made you laugh again._

He's violent.

_He's protected you._

He lied to me.

_He was scared of your reaction to the truth._

He made me look like a fool.

_Not before making himself look like one._

He left me.

_He crossed the world to come back._

I hate him!

_You love him._

At the admission of those words, Megumi buried her face into the pillow and sobbed, her emotions spilling from her like a tidal wave. Burying her face, her body shook with the force of her quieted tears. She curled herself into a tight ball almost as if she was trying to squeeze the pain out of herself. A new wave of anger arose and her body stilled with its arrival.

She couldn't love him! After everything he's done to her? If she went back to him, it would just be the same thing all over again. He'd leave, she'd wait, he'd come back and the cycle would just begin anew. Nothing would change. She'd be stuck in an endless cycle of misery. No! She refused! She would not go through any more abuse because of a man. She'd have enough of them all! For all she cared, they could all go and burn!

As quickly as her anger flared up, it went away leaving her with a numb chest. She closed her eyes, almost as if closing one's eyes made their troubles disappear. Tears leaked and traveled down her cheek silently.

A knock on the door caused Megumi to jump in surprise.

"Megumi?" the voice called. She recognized Kaoru's voice but made no response. "Megumi I know you're awake." More silence. "If you don't come out in the next ten minutes I'm going to come and get you myself!" She listened as Kaoru's angry footsteps marched out of the hallway.

Megumi swallowed her tears and slowly began forcing herself to an upright position. Kaoru was not one to make empty threats, and Megumi was not one to lose her dignity by being forced from her room. She gradually rose from her futon on shaky legs and wobbled to her washroom. Stumbling through the door, she looked at herself in the mirror and felt embarrassment at what she saw.

Her hair was frizzy and sticking out randomly. Her skin was blotchy and red, matching the color of her puffy eyes. The streaks on her cheeks served as reminders of the trails her tears had left behind. Water still clung to her eyelashes and to the front of the kimono she had not bothered to change out of. It had been a long time since Megumi had seen herself looking this awful, and she would not allow Kaoru to see her in such a mess.

With a quick sniff, Megumi set to work. She took a brush and smoothed the tangles out of her hair, making sure every strand was in its correct place. Next, she splashed water on her face, washing away tears and the remnants of her slightly-running make-up. After drying herself, she began gently slapping her cheeks, trying to even out her skin tone. Once satisfied, she moved into her room again and, after glancing at the clock, changed quickly into another clean kimono. Content that this was as good as she was going to look on such short notice, Megumi strode out of the room with a confidence she wasn't feeling. As she reached the end of the hall, Megumi slowed considerably, trying to prepare herself for the questions Kaoru was going to ask her. Taking a deep breath, she entered the room.

Kaoru looked up at her immediately and Megumi felt her instantaneous, scrutinizing stare. Megumi raised an eyebrow at her with disdain. She crossed her arms elegantly and cocked a hip. "You interrupted my nap, Kaoru," she stated frostily.

Kaoru pursed her lips and rose slowly from her seat. "I wanted to speak with you," she said softly, her gaze still pointedly analyzing her.

Megumi rolled her eyes. "This couldn't wait for a little later? I thought even a raccoon could have manners. Apparently I was wrong," she said, hoping to get a rise out of Kaoru.

Opposite of what she was hoping for, Kaoru just watched her. The silence lengthened, making Megumi want to squirm; she refused to give Kaoru the satisfaction.

"You were crying in there, Megumi."

As faint pain reverberated in her chest, but Megumi ignored it. Instead, she waved her hand dismissively. "I don't know what you're talking about. I was sleeping."

Kaoru's hands tightened into fists. "Quit lying to me, Megumi. I hate being lied to."

Megumi sank gracefully into a chair and chuckled softly. "You are quite dramatic, Kaoru," she said. "You're overreacting. It was windy outside and it made my eyes water. That's what you saw when I came in."

Kaoru also lowered herself into a chair, making a small thud. "Then why could I hear you sobbing?" she asked, resting her head in her hand. "Did Tomatsu say something to upset you?"

Before she could stop herself, Megumi scowled. Kaoru raised both eyebrows as Megumi regained control of her face. Clearing her throat and rolling her shoulders back, Megumi said, "Tomatsu has been working for me long enough. I simply decided that—,"

"I know he's Sanosuke," Kaoru interrupted.

Megumi's mouth froze in the form of words unspoken. Unable to speak, all Megumi could do was listen to the small sounds of Kenji running around in the yard. As the child squealed at the discovery of some creature, Megumi found her voice. "You knew he was Sanosuke?" she asked quietly.

Kaoru simply nodded in response.

Her gaze lowered onto her lap where her hands had gathered to grip one another. Something stirred in her chest causing her to wince. "How long have you known?" she whispered.

"Since this morning."

Her chest started clenching, then throbbing, then pounding. Her ears began burning and her stomach churned. A friend like this had never betrayed her; Kaoru had never betrayed her. Megumi closed her eyes as the urge to scream threatened to overwhelm her. Her rage reared its ugly head once more.

"How dare you," she whispered fiercely.

"What?"

Megumi whipped her head up to face the woman who called herself her friend. "How dare you," she said loudly, discovering she'd risen from her seat.

Looking up at her, Kaoru frowned. "Megumi, please listen—," she began.

"No!" Megumi exclaimed. Kaoru's eyes widened as Megumi continued. "I'm done listening! I'm sick and tired of this! Of everyone! How dare you act as if you can come into my clinic—into my _home_—and lie to my face! Betrayal seems to be common amongst you all now. Maybe it's a good thing I moved away from lowlifes like you."

Kaoru winced at her harsh words. "Megumi, please."

Megumi raised a hand to silence her. "I'm done. All you seem to be concerned with is hurting me in every way possible. Well, congratulations," she said sarcastically. "You've ripped my heart out."

Kaoru rose swiftly, nearly knocking her chair down in the process. "That's enough," she said harshly, her face turning red with anger. "I understand that your sad, Megumi; I understand that you're angry, but I will not stand you accusing me of deceiving you." Megumi tried to interrupt but Kaoru continued. "Sanosuke confessed to Kenshin who he was this morning. Kenshin told me when I woke up, and you had left the clinic before I awoke. How in the world could I have told you who Tomatsu was if you weren't even in this building?"

Megumi frowned at the logic but refused to reign herself in. The pain inside her needed release. "You could have found me," she hissed. "You could have told that that back-stabbing liar was right next to me."

Kaoru pointed an angry, accusing finger at Megumi and said, "You're an idiot for not noticing in the first place! You need to get off the pedestal you've so painstakingly placed yourself on! This world does not revolve around you, _Takani-sensai_," she said sarcastically. "Have you taken any time what-so-ever to think outside of yourself? Have considered what must be going through Sanosuke's mind?"

Megumi slapped her hand away. "I don't care what that imbecile is _going through_. I don't give a rip about that man!"

Muscles tight with rage, Kaoru shouted, "You may not care about him, but he cares about you!"

"If he cared for me he wouldn't have lied," Megumi shot back, her hands cramping with the desire to strangle the smaller woman.

Kaoru brought her face within inches of Megumi's. "Could it be possible that you are that dense?" she screeched. Megumi's rage reached new heights but still Kaoru continued. "How can someone as intelligent as you not notice the affections of someone standing two feet away? Even when I thought Sanosuke was Tomatsu I could tell he cared about you! Whenever you were another room, he'd constantly glance toward the doorway you'd left through. When you would talk, he'd stand transfixed, watching you speak. How could you have missed something so obvious?" Kaoru threw her arms into the air with frustration. "It's the exact same way Sanosuke acted around you years ago."

Megumi frowned. "I—,"

"No," Kaoru interrupted harshly. "I talk, you listen."

Turning to leave, Megumi said, "I don't want to listen."As she walked away, Megumi felt a strong grip seize her arm, allowing room for no movement. Megumi refused to turn.

"You _will _listen," said Kaoru. Megumi frowned and looked back at Kaoru. The kendo teacher's eyes filled with earnestness and her voice softened as she said, "Megumi, no matter how you feel about what Sanosuke did—no matter the pain you're experiencing—you have to realize that he's going through the same thing."

At Kaoru's tone, Megumi felt all anger disappear from her chest. Hopelessness occupied its place instead; she could not help but lower her head. "He couldn't possibly be going through the same thing I am," she said quietly, feeling undiscovered tears make their presence known. She clenched her eyes shut in an attempt to stop the flow.

"You need to speak with him, Megumi," Kaoru said.

Megumi's eyes opened in astonishment, jerking her arm out of Kaoru's grasp. "I will not speak to him," she said belligerently. "I don't even want to see his lying face."

Kaoru looked at Megumi with an odd expression on her face. Slowly, Megumi watched as Kaoru's gaze shifted until it rested on something over her shoulder. Frowning in confusion, quickly glanced over her shoulder only to have her gaze caught.

Sanosuke stood in the doorway. He braced himself against the frame of the door with his hand; his hair plastered itself to his forehead from sweat.

All of the conflicting emotions beat through her again. Anger made her blood boil. Depression made her want to cry, and, Kami help her, just the fact that he was here made her knees weak.

In a panic, Megumi felt her heart rate increase. Adrenaline coursed through her veins, and in response to her fight-or-flight reflex, she flew. Dodging around Kaoru, Megumi practically ran to the other side of the room, hoping to escape through the back. She didn't get too far before she felt a vice-like grip seize her arm and whip her around. Once again, she stood nose-to-nose with Kaoru.

"Stop running!" whispered Kaoru intensely.

Hyperventilation set in as tears ran down Megumi's face. Gripping Kaoru's arms pleadingly, she said, "Please Kaoru. Please don't make me. I—I can't."

Kaoru raised a disbelieving eyebrow. "Since when did the famous Takani Megumi become so cowardly? The Lady-Doctor I knew would have had no problem telling _anyone_ what she thought of them, especially if that someone was Sanosuke."

Megumi shook her head desperately. "It's been too long, Kaoru," she said, searching for a way out. "Things wouldn't work out. We're two totally different people."

Scoffing, Kaoru said, "You make five years sound like an eternity." She gently reached up and wiped a tear from Megumi's face. "And don't give me that crap about you two being totally different," she said, rolling her eyes. "If anything you're exactly the same."

Megumi lowered her gaze and struggled to control her shaking limbs. Kaoru's grip lowered until she clutched the Lady Doctor's hands. "It's funny," Kaoru began, voice barely above a whisper, "how it's now the raccoon giving the fox love advice." Megumi gave a hiccupping laugh and looked up into Kaoru's face. The smaller woman smirked and signaled with a flick of her head back to where Sanosuke was. Megumi gripped Kaoru's hands with all her strength as she gathered her courage. With a deep breath and a nod, Megumi stepped away from her and toward Sanosuke.

Suddenly, Megumi felt her confidence rise. After all, it was not as if she would take him back. She felt herself give a smirk at such a ridiculous thought. Given everything he put her through, there was no way she could love him again. Yes, there were all these absurd emotions racing in her heart, but she could handle such simple things with relative ease.

Megumi thought these things with so much assurance in her own abilities that she forgot to take into consideration Sanosuke's capacity to negate all things that would help resistance:

Megumi's smirk was famous throughout the males of Aizu. It was alluring in a most seductive way and could drive sane thought from the mind of any male who encountered it.

Sanosuke, however, merely had to look at Megumi for her mind to feel flustered.

Megumi could walk into a room with such grace that all eyes would turn to look at her. Women were jealous of her refinement and men longed to have her all to themselves. She knew this because of all the time she spent practicing.

Sanosuke, however, had bold, lustful eyes watching him whenever he leaned against a building, plodded down the street, or chewed on that absurd fishbone. Things he didn't even think about were the things that were most attractive about him

Therefore, as she made eye contact with Sanosuke, completely sure of her own prowess, she was completely taken by surprise when, with weakened knees, she very nearly collapsed to the ground. With the look in his eyes, her stomach curled in on itself, and her heart threatened to pound its way out her chest.

Sanosuke looked at her with love shining in his gaze.

* * *

A/N: Again I apologize for my lateness! I hope that this chapter can tide you over until I get done with the next one.

Please review!


	10. Confrontation

...Hey...I'm back...even though I'm sure by now you hate me.

I'm so so so sorry about this being so late, but after having my computer crash like 4 times (I was pretty sure it was some form of an Apocalypse) I lost all desire to continue. Then, after spending months being angry with this story, I got fired up again and wrote this within about a week. Yay for random inspiration!

Anyway, because of this long hiatus, I sort of forgot how I wanted this to end...so now I'm winging it. This chapter definitely took on a life of its own. So now, because of my perpetual fear of computer crashes, I'm probably going to be updating shorter chapters (Sorry!) Just so I don't lose a huge portion of the story in one go.

I hope you enjoy!

Standard Disclaimer: Nothing you recognize is mine :(

* * *

Those eyes terrified Megumi. She knew how to deal with an angry Sanosuke. She could even handle him drunk. However, this new love-struck rooster was foreign and completely unpredictable. Her confidence waned from its previous heights.

The floorboards creaked as Kaoru shifted her weight. "I'll leave you two alone," she mumbled, her footsteps leading her to the backyard where Kenji played. With her best friend gone Megumi's heart quickened knowing she was now alone with Sanosuke. Tension mounted as neither person moved, too terrified to break the thick silence that had accumulated around them. Sanosuke took a slow step forward, looking earnestly at Megumi. Panicking, the Lady Doctor took a quick half-step back.

"Megumi," her name a plea on his lips, his arm half raised toward her.

"Takani-sama," she blurted, her nervousness forcing half-completed thoughts into words.

His hand retracted in confusion. "What?"

Megumi took a deep breath to calm her nerves and to reaffirm that her tears were safely locked away. "Takani-sama," she repeated. "We've fallen out of communication for the past several years, Sagara-san. It would be rude to assume we have a close relationship and can call to each other so familiarly." She began to calm as she found poise in her aloof persona.

Confusion furrowed his brow and parted his lips. Megumi saw comprehension dawn on him when his mouth pressed into a thin line, and his jaw clenched. "What exactly would you call the past weeks then, Takani-sama," he asked with a hard voice.

Her eyes narrowed at his tone and insolence. "Forgive me for being rude, Sagara-san," she hissed, "but I would, of course, call that lying. I may have known Tomatsu-san for weeks now, but I still haven't spoken to Sanosuke Sagara in years. This is our first encounter since your departure, and honestly I can't say I'm thrilled to see you."

The tension in Sanosuke's shoulders could be clearly seen, and because of it she relaxed. They were back in familiar territory.

"But really, it can only be expected, don't you think?" she asked, falsely conversational. "Having someone lie to you for weeks on end would put anyone in a sour mood—especially if that person had disappeared five years earlier with no word or warning." Megumi tilted her head, giving a disarming smile along with her narrowed eyes.

The muscles in Sanosuke's throat shifted as he swallowed. "It's not like it was some great mystery," he said hurriedly. "You know I got in trouble with the law. I had to get out of here before I got caught. I didn't have time to tell you personally."

Irritation licked her insides before she stifled it. "Oh, now I see," she said as she calmly adjusted her kimono. "Well, consider the message passed. I _completely_ understand your reasons for leaving." Megumi turned and took slow steps to the kitchen. "What a load off your shoulders."

The room was silent as Megumi quietly left. Upon entering the kitchen Megumi automatically raided the cabinets; she needed something to do with her hands.

What a fool. How dare he come here after weeks of lying and give her such a paltry excuse. Why couldn't he just apologize? Apologize to her for leaving, for staying away, for sending back no word so she didn't know if he was alive or dead, and for lying to her face. But apparently that was too much to ask. After all, it has always been about what Sanosuke wanted. He wanted to fight so he fought. He wanted kill someone so he killed someone. He wanted to leave the country with no word of warning so he did. What everyone else wanted was unimportant.

Pots and pans clanked together loudly as she maneuvered them. In her frustration she banged a pot onto the counter only to have it fall to the ground. She stiffened as the crash echoed through the room. Her anger and frustration spiked. Snatching up the pot, she threw it into the sink, the noise doing nothing to soothe her. Gripping the edges of the sink with her hands, she rocked back and forth trying to control herself. Her stomach clenched up and her grip tightened as her breathing became louder. Megumi pushed herself up, turning so her back pressed against counter. Her arm rose to pinch the bridge of her nose.

She needed to get control of herself.

"Megumi?"

Her head snapped up. Sanosuke stood in the doorway, a hand on the frame. His face pinched in obvious concern for her; she could barely stomach it.

"Sagara-san," she snapped, "maybe I wasn't clear earlier. I want you out of this house." She pushed herself from the counter, arms crossed and chin up. "You have come and you have explained your past actions. Your presence is no longer required."

"Megumi please," he pleaded, taking a step closer to her. "Listen to me."

Megumi laughed meanly. "Why in the world would I do that? I'm not interested Sagara-san."

Sanosuke straightened and looked down at his feet. He remained quiet, defeat showing in the set of his shoulders.

His posture sapped away her resolution. It was no longer satisfying seeing him squirm. She sighed as exhaustion seeped into her limbs. "Just leave, Sanosuke. You're doing neither of us any good being here." Turning her back to him she stared out the window above her sink, not really seeing anything. She knew Sanosuke, and she knew his pride. He wouldn't stay after being rejected so many times, if only to save his ego. He would leave, and a part of her would go with him.

Sanosuke mumbled something behind her. Megumi turned halfway to look at him. "Speak up," she demanded.

There was a pause as Sanosuke continued to inspect his shoes. "I said I must be crazy." Sanosuke lifted his gaze to look around the room. He studied it as though he hadn't seen any of it. A sigh escaped him. "I knew you'd be angry with me, fox," he said. "I knew it would take forever and a day to get you to forgive me. I came into this knowing that showing up again after so long would hurt you." He raised a hand and rubbed hard against his chest. He met her gaze solemnly. "I just didn't know it would hurt me too."

Megumi's lip twitched. Looking away she quietly said, "What an annoyance that must be."

Sanosuke moved forward, raising an arm, trying to get her to understand. "That's the thing fox. I _like_ it. This pain, it's a reminder. Because of it, I know I'll never leave Japan again. I'd rather deal with this burning ache in my chest here at home than leave and deal with my half-dead emotions."

Megumi hid her hurt behind a curtain of anger. "If you were so upset, why did you stay away for so long? You had every reason to come home."

The tall man started to take a step forward, hesitated, then stopped. "Megumi, please look at me."

Gathering her resolve and clenching her teeth, Megumi slowly looked at him. His eyes were sober, giving him a look she'd never seen before.

"I'm not the same boy I was five years ago. I left because I was afraid, and I stayed away for the same reason," his eyes flickered down while he gave a harsh chuckle. "What I wanted scared me, and the process of getting it terrified me. I was lazy, uncouth, and worthless. I wanted everything to fall into my lap so I didn't have to work at it. But what I wanted—well, she wasn't having that." He looked up at her from under his lashes, pinning her with his stare. Raising his chin, Sanosuke met her eyes straight on. "She wasn't going to settle. She had expectations, and she expected me to meet them. It didn't matter what my past was, it was assumed that I would be the best I could be, no matter the circumstances. She believed in a man I didn't think existed."

A pause. "This woman must be a saint," Megumi mumbled sarcastically, trying not to let such compliments affect her. With resignation she said, "Quit playing this game, Sanosuke. What do you want?"

"Isn't it obvious?" As he started toward her, Megumi froze—fight or flight?—but before she could react, his large body blocked her escape. Though she was a tall woman, Megumi craned her neck to see Sanosuke, his gaze seeing deep into her core.

She quickly dropped her eyes, staring at his chest. The silence lengthened as her control lessened. Her hands started shaking, prompting her to cross her arms defensively. Finally she said, "I can't give you what you want." He didn't respond. Her eyes nearly flickered up to his before she stopped herself. She mustn't waver.

So focused was Megumi that she failed until the last moment to notice Sanosuke's large hand rising toward her face. Gently, ever so gently, the warm, calloused hand spread across her cheek. Her lip quivered slightly as his thumb slowly stroked her face, the rough skin of his hand catching on her silky features. Much to her chagrin, a blush formed on her cheeks as his tender administrations continued. Moving up her face, he pushed her bangs out of the way before raising her chin to see her. The muscles in his neck worked as he swallowed thickly. His hand cupped her cheek again.

"You're beautiful," he whispered, his voice cracking. "When I saw you on your porch for the first time in years I couldn't speak. You literally knocked the wind out of me." He smiled down at her, reaching out with his remaining hand to lightly squeeze hers. "I'd forgotten how easily you could make me speechless."

The temptation to lean into his strong hand almost overwhelmed Megumi. However, she was nothing if not logical. She knew this romantic behavior wouldn't last as well as his supposed commitment to stay in Japan. To allow herself to be sucked in now would be the equivalent to emotional suicide when he left. It would simply be too difficult to pick up the pieces.

She pulled away her hand and sidestepped Sanosuke, hiding behind her bangs. "You've become quite eloquent, Sanosuke. Who would have guessed you had such a way with words?" she said, trying fruitlessly to sound casual. She took the few steps to the sink and resumed washing the dishes. A heavy and awkward silence filled the room, threatening to suffocate the lady doctor.

She continued washing the dishes.

"How do you do that?"

She paused, sudsy water dripping from her fingers and a confused frown on her face. "Do what?"

"Act like you don't care. How is it you can fool yourself so completely?"

Megumi mentally gave a broken chuckle. If only she _could_ fool herself. "It's probably because it's not an act."

"I don't believe you."

Megumi turned toward him with a raised brow. "Regardless of whether or not you believe me, the truth is the truth. I'm not lying. I'm not faking this. It seems like I don't care because I really don't. I'm over all of this, Sanosuke. I'm over you." The Lady Doctor turned back and resumed washing the dishes, tears beginning to prick the back of her eyes as she dammed up her emotions. It was only a matter of time now. Sooner or later, his damaged pride would force him to leave.

Megumi clenched her eyes. She'd get through it. She'd have too.

Another pregnant pause.

"I still don't believe you."

Megumi pursed her lips in irritation. "Don't make this harder than it needs to be," she snapped.

Ignoring her, Sanosuke said, "You want to know why I don't? Because I refuse to believe that, after everything you and I have been through—together and apart—you're going to stop us because of your _pride_."

The dam burst. "_My_ pride!" Megumi exclaimed, whipping around to face Sanosuke. "How dare you bring up _my_ pride! _Your_ pride kept you from telling me the truth for weeks! The only thing _my_ pride is stopping is you trying to take advantage of me again!" Shoving her hand into the soapy water, Megumi snatched up a pan and chucked it at Sanosuke's head. Sanosuke's reflexes were sharp as ever though; he easily dodged the pan. Before he had a chance to recover Megumi flew over to him, her arm raised.

A resounding smack echoed, leaving silence in its wake.

Megumi panted from the exertion, her rage stopping her from taking deep breaths. Both remained frozen for a moment more before Sanosuke turned his head slowly back to Megumi. His fists tightened and his muscles bunched as a white hot fury burned in his eyes.

"Why must you be so damned difficult, woman!" bellowed Sanosuke, slamming his fist down on the counter and cracking the countertop.

Megumi's eyes widened and she took a few quick steps back.

Sanosuke's eyes narrowed. "Oh, no you don't! You want to fight, fox? Well then you're going to get a fight!" He followed her, taking two giant steps and getting within inches of her face. "I'm here bearing my damned soul to you! I'm trying to tell you that I love you, and all you can do is slap me in the face? What the hell is wrong with you? Do you know how long it took me to get up the courage to come back to Japan? How long I sat on your porch, debating on whether or not I should even knock on your door?"

Megumi backed up even farther before she found herself pressed against a wall. Sanosuke followed soon after, allowing no room for movement.

"I've been through hell and back, Megumi," he bellowed. In his fury, his arm cocked back and punched the wall beside her head, blasting a crater through it. The shards sprinkled Megumi's shoulder. "I'm not letting anything stop me from getting what I want. That includes you!"

Fear. The moment Sanosuke had stalked toward her she felt crippled by it. It tied up her tongue and her legs. She couldn't respond, couldn't fight. All she could do was stand with shaking knees and a gaping mouth, her breath coming out in gasps. No matter how much she felt sickened by herself, she couldn't bring herself to move. Her body simply tried to make itself as small as possible. Her mind knew Sanosuke would never hurt her, but all she could think of was Kanryuu.

She whimpered.

* * *

A/N: Please review! My self-esteem is incredibly low when it comes to my own stories. Please boost my confidence!


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